The US will strengthen its missile defense against North Korean threats and boost its military capabilities, including its nuclear arsenal, according to the Trump administration’s new national security strategy Tuesday.

In the document, the Trump administration singled out North Korea and Iran as the main threats to US national security along with terrorist organizations, adding that the US’ missile defense will be strengthened.

According to the document, the US is in the process of deploying “a layered missile defense system focused on North Korea and Iran.” It also said that the system will be able to “defeat missile threats prior to launch,” hinting at a missile defense strategy that includes pre-emptive strikes. 

In outlining Washington’s security strategy in the Indo-Pacific region, the Trump administration again singled out North Korea, saying that “overwhelming” force will be used in responding to aggression by Pyongyang. The document outlined Washington’s plans to seek stronger cooperation with allies and to bring North Korea under control.

“We will strengthen our long-standing military relationships and encourage the development of a strong defense network with our allies and partners. For example, we will cooperate on missile defense with Japan and South Korea to move toward an area defense capability,”

“We remain ready to respond with overwhelming force to North Korean aggression and will improve options to compel denuclearization of the peninsula.”

The document, however, did not elaborate on options to pressure Pyongyang to denuclearize.

Regarding weapons of mass destruction outside the context of North Korea, the document showed that the Trump administration will seek ways to “to secure, eliminate, and prevent the spread of WMD and related materials, their delivery systems, technologies, and knowledge.”

The Trump administration dedicated a significant portion of the document to outlining its plans to boost the country’s military capabilities, saying that the US must retain “overmatch” against potential adversaries.

To this end, the Trump administration said that US military technologies, the military’s readiness and size needs to be improved, and that US allies must take the same approach in boosting their military capabilities.

According to the document, Washington will also modernize its nuclear arsenal.

Saying that the US nuclear arsenal has remained largely unchanged for three decades, while “nuclear-armed adversaries have expanded their arsenals and range of delivery systems,” the document stated that the Trump administration will maintain “a stockpile that can deter adversaries, assure allies and partners, and achieve US objectives if deterrence fails.”

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)