US Joint Chiefs Vice Chairman "100% Confidence in US Defense Capability Against North Korea's New Missiles"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] On the 17th (local time), U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman John Hyten expressed 100% confidence in the current U.S. missile defense capabilities to intercept North Korea's new missiles.

At a discussion event hosted by the Washington DC-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Vice Chairman Hyten responded to the question, "Do you believe the current U.S. missile defense system can protect the United States from North Korea's new missiles?" with this assurance.

He said, "I don't often say 100%, but I am 100% confident in that (U.S. defense) capability against North Korea." He added, "That is why it (the missile defense system) was established. It was established because of North Korea and it will work against North Korea."

With North Korea declaring the unveiling of "new strategic weapons and shocking actual actions," this statement is interpreted as an effort to highlight U.S. defense capabilities and block North Korea's hardline moves.

Before the Q&A, Vice Chairman Hyten noted in a lecture that despite North Korea ranking 115th out of 192 countries worldwide in economic power, it has developed nuclear and ballistic missiles capable of threatening neighboring countries and the United States over the past few years. He pointed out that North Korea's difference lies in learning how to move quickly.

He elaborated that during the era of Kim Il-sung, grandfather of North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un, there were nine missile test launches; during Kim Jong-il's tenure, there were 22; and since Kim Jong-un took power, there have been 67 test launches.

He added that although there were considerable failures, Kim Jong-un did not stop, and North Korea learned from these failures to rapidly acquire new missiles, new capabilities, and new weapons faster than anyone else on Earth with its 115th-ranked economy.

Vice Chairman Hyten said, "If North Korea's dictator has learned to accept failure, why can't the United States do the same?" He emphasized, "We need to understand what failure is and learn from these failures."

He also cited an example from over ten years ago when the U.S. canceled its hypersonic weapons development program after failures, saying, "That is not moving fast."

Referring to what North Korea has achieved in recent years, Vice Chairman Hyten stressed, "We must be able to defend against any threat and deter any adversary's actions," adding, "To do this, we must compete globally, which means we must move fast again."

Even after mentioning North Korea during the Q&A, he said, "The world views deterrence as an integration of offense and defense, and when they see our offense and defense, they see our deterrence," adding, "We must also consider our offense and defense as our integrated deterrence."

He continued, "We need to start thinking about what defense for future generations looks like," stating, "Missile defense is extremely important for our future, our defense, against bad threats, and in response to North Korea." He added, "However, we have not made decisions about the broader role of missile defense, and this decision is not one for the Joint Chiefs of Staff but a national decision."