Seoul to launch Strategic Command amid N. Korean threats

South Korea will establish a new military command this week that will serve as an overarching organ for its key weapons systems to deter evolving North Korean nuclear and missile threats, Yonhap News Agency reported Monday, citing the Defense Ministry. The ROK Strategic Command will be launched Tuesday amid growing concerns over Pyongyang's continued push to advance its weapons programs, recently highlighted by its latest disclosure of a uranium enrichment facility. ROK stands for South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea. The command will be tasked to counter such threats by overseeing operations of major weapons systems, such as ballistic missiles, F-35 stealth fighters and submarines capable of firing ballistic missiles. "The establishment of the Strategic Command is our military's strong resolve to actively realize peace through strength with a powerful defense force," Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was quoted as saying at a ceremony marking the unit's launch earlier in the day. "If North Korea uses nukes, (it) will face the end of its regime based on the overwhelming strength of the South Korea-US alliance," Kim said. The unit will officially launch Tuesday when the country celebrates Armed Forces Day. The command is expected to serve as a counterpart to the US Strategic Command, overseeing America's nuclear arsenal, to discuss coordination for combined operations that involve US strategic assets and conventional South Korean weapons systems. The two countries have sought to integrate their military capabilities under the bilateral Nuclear Consultative Group to bolster deterrence against North Korean threats. Source: Kuwait News Agency