DELEGATION DISCUSSES NORTH'S THREAT IN U.S.

[Anchor Lead]

Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff has assessed that North Korea’s continued ballistic missile launches pose a real threat to US homeland. President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s delegation sent to the US has met with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and discussed the deployment of strategic assets.

[Pkg]

According to a new assessment by the US, North Korea’s ballistic missile capabilities pose a real threat to the US homeland. In a written statement to the House Armed Services Committee, US Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Mark Milley said "the DPRK continues to enhance its ballistic missile capability and possesses the technical capacity to present a real danger to the US homeland as well as our allies and partners across the Indo-Pacific.” He was pointing to dangers resulting from the regime’s continued weapon testing and technological advances. In a related move, Yoon Suk-yeol's delegation to the US has met with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and discussed the possible deployment of US strategic assets to South Korea. The delegates said the two sides held in-depth discussions on the combined defense posture and deployment of assets aimed at strengthening deterrence against Pyongyang.

[Soundbite] Park Jin(Chief Delegate) : "Deploying strategic assets is an important part of strengthening extended deterrence. Today’s consultation with the US can be understood in that sense."

The delegation also delivered a letter from Yoon proposing efforts to upgrade the two countries’ comprehensive strategic alliance. Following talks with Sullivan, the team says it will also meet with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to discuss the resumption of joint military exercises.