[News Terms] What Is the Korean Version of the US 'Nuclear Posture Review Report'?

Full Translation Unlike the 2018 Summary
Also Intended to Alleviate Concerns Over Nuclear Umbrella Pledge in Korea

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The U.S. Department of Defense has drawn attention by translating and releasing the full text of the 'Nuclear Posture Review (NPR),' which outlines nuclear weapons strategy and policy, into Korean. While the previous report in 2018 only provided a summary in Korean, this time the entire 2022 NPR has been translated.

The NPR is a report published every four or eight years, mainly when the government changes, covering the foundation of U.S. nuclear policy. It has been issued by the Clinton administration in 1994, the Bush administration in 2002, the Obama administration in 2010, the Trump administration in 2018, and the Biden administration in 2022. Based on this report, nuclear policy and related budget allocations for the next 5 to 10 years are determined.

Until 2010, the U.S. Department of Defense provided NPR summaries in Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Chinese, and French. In the 2018 edition, Spanish and Arabic were removed, and Korean and Japanese were added. Furthermore, just over three months after publishing the original 2022 report on October 27 last year, on the 31st of last month, translations in five languages?Chinese, French, Japanese, Korean, and Russian?were additionally posted on the website. The Korean summary in 2018 was 21 pages, but the full translated version this time is 42 pages.

The 2022 NPR describes forces such as North Korea and China that threaten the U.S. and its allies with nuclear weapons, and introduces nuclear strategies, strengthening of nuclear capabilities, and non-proliferation efforts to deter their attacks. Notably, it includes content aimed at enhancing the credibility of the extended deterrence (nuclear umbrella) provided by the U.S. to prevent allies without nuclear weapons, such as South Korea, from developing their own nuclear arms.

Because of this, interpretations suggest that the U.S. Department of Defense translated the entire NPR into Korean in response to growing concerns in South Korea about U.S. extended deterrence. It also appears intended to ensure that adversaries such as China, Russia, and North Korea clearly understand U.S. nuclear strategy and intentions to avoid miscalculations.

The publicly released Korean translation of the NPR contains statements such as, "The United States recognizes increasing concerns about the nuclear and missile developments of China, North Korea, and Russia, and commits to strengthening deterrence in response to changes in the regional security environment," and "Allies must be confident that the United States can and is willing to deter various strategic threats and mitigate risks during crises or conflicts." It also emphasizes, "A nuclear attack by North Korea against the United States and its allies and partners is unacceptable and would lead to the regime's end," and "There is no scenario in which the Kim Jong-un regime can survive by using nuclear weapons."