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Opinion | Why South Korea must see going nuclear as a non-starter
- Sentiment towards South Korea developing its own nuclear weapons is growing but doing so would have dangerous consequences
- Yoon’s latest comments should be seen more as a means to deter Pyongyang and signal to Washington that its policy to counter the growing security threats isn’t working
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South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol left nothing to the imagination regarding the country’s stance on nuclear proliferation earlier this month. In an interview with KBS, he called nuclear proliferation “not realistic” and said developing nuclear weapons at the moment might result in economic woes for South Korea.
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However, Yoon hinted at the country’s high level of nuclear latency, saying that “it would not take long to develop nuclear weapons if the country put its mind to it”. In doing so, he gave form to an issue gaining prominence.
Frequent missile tests by North Korea since last year have raised concerns around the world, particularly in South Korea, where calls for nuclear armament are gaining momentum. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s comments about war being a “reality and not an abstract concept”, at a plenary session of the Workers’ Party of Korea last December, only solidified these concerns.
Concerned by the dramatic developments on the Korean peninsula, some South Korean analysts have raised concerns about the United States’ security commitments. In an indication of waning faith in the US nuclear umbrella, activists have called for the country to secure its own nuclear capabilities to counter the North Korean threat while arguing against relying solely on the goodwill of allies.
A possible change of administration in this year’s US presidential election is also a cause for concern. In an analysis for the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Korea chair Victor Cha and associate fellow Andy Lim argue that victory for Donald Trump could result in a decrease in North Korean provocations but could also lead to an increase in South Korean support for acquiring its own nuclear weapons.
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Seoul Mayor says South Korea should build nuclear weapons in the face of threats from the North
Seoul Mayor says South Korea should build nuclear weapons in the face of threats from the North
Sun Sang-mok, president of the International Council on Social Welfare, similarly argues that a Trump victory could pave the way for an agreement between Washington and Seoul on South Korea’s nuclear armament. These sentiments have garnered popularity among the public. According to a survey by Gallup Korea, 72.8 per cent of South Korean respondents believe the country must develop its own nuclear weapons, down about 4 per cent since last year.
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