US to reaffirm nuclear umbrella protects S Korea

WASHINGTON, Oct 19 (Reuters) The United States will reaffirm its commitment to protect South Korea with nuclear weapons when the countries' defense ministers meet tomorrow, a US defense official said today.

That follows North Korea's missile test last week that drew global condemnation and sanctions from the United Nations.

''What is important for us is to restate and reaffirm the nuclear umbrella and again we're going to do it in exactly the same way that we've done it in years past,'' the American defense official said.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said war planning for a response to any North Korean nuclear attack was not on the agenda for tomorrow's meeting between US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and South Korean Defense Minister Yoon Kwang-ung at the Pentagon.

''We're very comfortable where all of our planning is right now,'' the official said. ''Our plans are in place. We have total agreement with our allies. So this is not an issue of concern.'' The meeting between Rumsfeld and Yoon was scheduled before North Korea's recent weapons tests, including the nuclear test and a series of missile tests in July. The meeting is part of the 38th annual ''Security Consultative Meeting.'' Those consultative sessions annually yield a communique in which the United States reaffirms its commitment to protect South Korea within the ''nuclear umbrella.'' The US defense official said this year's communique would contain the same nuclear umbrella language as in previous statements.

Last year's communique stated: ''Secretary Rumsfeld reaffirmed the US commitment to the security of the (Republic of Korea), and to the continued provision of a nuclear umbrella for the (Republic of Korea), consistent with the Mutual Defense Treaty.'' REUTERS LL BST2132