Seoul's blind pro-US diplomacy escalates regional tensions

When Yoon Suk-yeol, president of South Korea, reverently crooned lines from the song "American Pie" to a smiling U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House, it perfectly depicted the diplomatic status quo between the two countries.

With its president fond of singing American songs, the South Korean government has made no secret of its intention of dancing to the American tune.

Yoon's musical performance was just a small, insignificant episode during his six-day visit to the United States. The trip was full of so-called "diplomatic outcomes" that are angering the South Korean people and escalating regional tensions, putting the Asia-Pacific region's security and stability in grave peril.

Following the two leaders' meeting, South Korea and the United States issued the Washington Declaration, which announced the establishment of a new Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) and the upcoming visit of a U.S. nuclear ballistic missile submarine to South Korea for the purpose of strengthening the so-called "extended deterrence."

However, Washington's pledge to involve Seoul in its nuclear planning operations through the NCG and deploy more "strategic assets," including nuclear-capable submarines, to the Korean Peninsula is apparently more of a threat to peace and stability on the peninsula than protection for South Korea.

Kim Yo Jong, a senior official of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), denounced the declaration as "a typical product of extreme anti-DPRK hostile policy reflecting the most hostile and aggressive will of action," and said "it will only result in making the peace and security of Northeast Asia and the world be exposed to more serious danger."