Ambassador to the U.S. "Efforts to secure nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities when the new U.S. government is launched."

Ambassador to the U.S. Cho Hyun-dong said that when the next U.S. government is launched next year, it will first pursue diplomacy with the U.S. to secure South Korea's spent nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities.

Ambassador Cho said at the parliamentary inspection of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee at the Embassy of the U.S. in Washington that he will make it a priority issue after the launch of the new U.S. government when lawmakers pointed out that the U.S. needs to persuade the U.S. to secure spent nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities.

However, Ambassador Cho explained that South Korea's independent nuclear armament or the U.S. military's redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons in South Korea is not our government's position, adding that strengthening extended deterrence is based on the premise that we do not have independent nuclear armament.

Ambassador Cho stressed that the purpose of the South Korea-U.S. Nuclear Consultative Group and the Washington Declaration is to come up with the best way to respond to the North Korean nuclear threat without having to arm itself or redeploy tactical nuclear weapons.

Ambassador Cho said, "The reality is that we cannot do activities that are not in line with the government's direction," and expressed a negative stance on Rep. Kim Ki-hyun's criticism that behind-the-scenes public opinion-building activities in the U.S. are needed to redeploy tactical nuclear weapons.

In addition, Ambassador Cho said efforts to strengthen deterrence between South Korea and the U.S. are still underway, pointing out that South Korea's involvement in the operation of U.S. nuclear weapons through the Korea-U.S. Nuclear Consultation Group is limited.

He also introduced that bilateral consultations are still continuing with regard to the Korea-U.S. nuclear consultation group guidelines released in June, and there are many consultations that have not been disclosed in the guidelines.

In his remarks, Ambassador Cho said, "The two countries have recently agreed to a defense cost-sharing agreement to maintain a firm defense posture and to ensure a stable presence of U.S. troops in Korea," adding, "We will continue to develop the South Korea-U.S. alliance based on these achievements."

He also said that he will hold active high-level consultations with the new U.S. administration, which will be launched next year, and actively pursue cooperation on our major concerns, including the North Korean issue.