Korea must help reinforce nuclear umbrella

A recent Foreign Affairs article by Jennifer Lind and Daryl G. Press, "The Broken Nuclear Umbrella," has reignited a debate on a decision South Korea can no longer afford to postpone. Their central argument is unsettling but difficult to dismiss: As adversaries acquire the ability to strike the American homeland, the credibility of U.

S. extended nuclear deterrence inevitably comes under greater strain. The uncomfortable question they pose is one that alliance planners have quietly wrestled with for years: Would any American president willingly risk Los Angeles to save Seoul?

Whether one agrees with their conclusion or not, the diagnosis deserves serious attention. At nearly the same time, another development underscored the rapidly changing strategic environment in Northeast Asia. A succession of high-level diplomatic exchanges among North Korea, China and Russia — including Chinese Politburo Standing Committee member Wang Huning's visit to North Korea and continued engagement between Beijing and Pyongyang leaders following North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui's earlier consult