South Korea and US practise nuclear deterrence
The allies discussed how US nuclear capabilities and South Korean conventional forces could operate together.
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South Korea and the United States have held a four-day tabletop exercise on combining conventional and nuclear military capabilities. The exercise was made public on Thursday against the backdrop of new North Korean missile launches.
The exercise, called Iron Mace, took place from 29 September to 2 October at the headquarters of the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, according to the South Korean military. It involved discussion and simulation of decision-making, not an announced deployment of nuclear weapons.
Participants discussed procedures for South Korean support when US strategic assets are deployed. According to the newspaper, joint planning, extended deterrence, and responses to North Korean nuclear weapons and missiles were also addressed.
According to US Forces Korea, the exercise was intended to refine plans for integrating conventional and nuclear capabilities. The United States links this cooperation to its commitment to continue protecting South Korea under the US nuclear umbrella.
The announcement came on the same day as reports of a new North Korean missile launch towards the sea. South Korea said the North had fired several ballistic missiles. The exercise itself took place earlier; its publication is the new development covered by this article.
Pyongyang generally regards joint military exercises by South Korea and the United States as preparations for an attack. Seoul and Washington, by contrast, present the cooperation as defensive deterrence. The exercise shows that the alliance is preparing not only conventional military scenarios but also procedures related to a possible nuclear crisis.
For European readers, this is relevant because the exercise illustrates how allies seek to combine nuclear weapons with support from countries that do not themselves possess nuclear weapons. At the same time, such preparation can strengthen deterrence while further increasing tensions with North Korea.
Also show the region and a close-up
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- South Korea and the United States held the Iron Mace tabletop exercise.
- The exercise addressed cooperation between US nuclear and South Korean conventional capabilities.
- The exercise took place in late September and early October and was announced on 29 October.
Left
Arguments Nuclear deterrence does not automatically make the region safer and can deepen an arms race. Diplomacy, risk reduction and communication agreements should receive more emphasis than increasingly complex military scenarios.
Values Disarmament, risk reduction and civilian protection.
Consequences More diplomacy can prevent escalation, but critics fear that less visible military preparation would leave allies more vulnerable.
Centre
Arguments Allies must be prepared for extreme scenarios as long as North Korea develops nuclear weapons and missiles. That preparation should be combined with crisis communication and clear boundaries to prevent misunderstandings.
Values Credible defence, stability and institutional oversight.
Consequences The combination can strengthen deterrence, but requires continuous diplomacy to keep escalation under control.
Right
Arguments A credible nuclear umbrella is effective only if adversaries know that conventional and nuclear means can actually be deployed together. Exercises demonstrate resolve and reduce the likelihood that North Korea will consider an attack.
Values Military strength, alliance reliability and deterrence.
Consequences More exercises could strengthen South Korea’s security, but also increase the risk of provocations or miscalculation by Pyongyang.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
Reporting on Iron Mace is based on a recent South Korean publication and an official US description of the broader nuclear cooperation. The link to the missile launch is chronological and is not presented as a causal relationship.
- confirmed Iron Mace lasted from 29 September to 2 October. — Reported by Seoul Economic Daily on the basis of the South Korean military. source
- confirmed The exercise concerned the integration of US nuclear and South Korean conventional capabilities. — Description of the exercise by Seoul Economic Daily and the official NCG statement. source
- confirmed North Korea fired several ballistic missiles towards the sea on 29 October. — South Korean military report, as reported by AP. source
Editor's note
The exercise and the subjects discussed have been confirmed. The exact operational scenarios and the outcome of the simulation have not been made public; there is no indication that nuclear weapons were deployed during the exercise.Sources
- South Korea, U.S. Hold Nuclear-Conventional Integration Tabletop Drill — Seoul Economic Daily
- Joint Press Statement on the Sixth Nuclear Consultative Group Meeting — U.S. Forces Korea
- North Korea fires missile barrage toward the sea — Associated Press
More on this in Dutch media
- NU.nl — „zuid-korea verenigde staten”
- De Telegraaf — „zuid-korea verenigde staten”
- AD — „zuid-korea verenigde staten”