ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION)
The U.S. reaffirmed its commitment to South Korea in the face of North Korea and its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Thursday (October 23).
At a news conference with his South Korean counterpart, Defense Minister Han Min-Koo, Hagel said the alliance must maintain robust and credible deterrence.
"The minister and I reviewed the implementation of our tailored deterrence strategy, a strategic framework that Minister Han's predecessor and I signed in Seoul last year," Hagel told reporters. "I emphasize that the United States remains committed to using all our military capabilities both on and off the Korean peninsula, including conventional strike missile defense and our nuclear umbrella to ensure that our extended deterrence is credible and effective."
The two leaders also endorsed a new strategy aimed at detecting, disrupting, destroying and defending against North Korean missile str
