US: Yoon And Biden Expected To Announce Extended Nuclear Deterrent

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeul will today begin formal engagements of his state visit to the White House.

• 10:00 ET 15:00 BST: White House greeting and bilat with President Biden.
• 12:30 ET 17:30 BST: Joint presser. LINK
• Foreign Policy reports that although Yoon is one of Biden’s closest allies, “there are likely to be some uncomfortable discussions during the summit...”
• Biden will address Yoon's concerns over the leaked Pentagon papers which revealed US spying in Yoon's office. Biden will also press Seoul, a major producer of defence hardware, on providing direct military aid to Ukraine.
• White House NSA Sullivan previewed to reporters that the leaders would announce "major deliverables on extended deterrence," expected to include regular deployment of strategic assets in the region and a first visit from a nuclear armed submarine since the 1980s - measures designed to counter DPRK's nuclear escalation.
• FP: “In January, Yoon suggested that his country may have to consider developing its own nuclear weapons arsenal if Pyongyang’s nuclear threat grows. He has since walked back those comments, but domestic support for a nuclear-armed South Korea remains strong…”
• Yoon will address a joint session of Congress tomorrow.