Carter and Kerry welcome South Korean counterparts

Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Secretary of State John Kerry welcomed their South Korean counterparts to Washington today to participate in meetings intended to address security challenges posed by North Korea, whose provocative nuclear and ballistic missile tests have been likened by the South Korean president to a "dagger against our throats."

Carter said his portion of the talks with South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo would be focused on exploring ways to provide robust and credible deterrence against North Korea's actions.

"The U.S. commitment to the defense of South Korea is unwavering," Carter said. "Any use of nuclear weapons will be met with an overwhelming and effective response."

Kerry reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to deploy a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense to South Korea as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, South Korean Foreign Affairs Minister Yun Byung-se said he hoped the talks would lead to "extraordinary action with the global community" to "institutionalize extended deterrence in order to induce a genuine change in North Korea."