hankyoreh

By Yi Yong-in, Staff Writer　

Select ruling Grand National Party (GNP) lawmakers and conservative media have begun to revisit the issue of the redeployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons to South Korea, which were withdrawn in the early 1990s, as a response to the North Korean nuclear program. Experts and the government, however, are showing skepticism, saying there is no possibility of this happening and that the disadvantages outweigh the benefits.

In an editorial Monday, the Joongang Ilbo openly said it supports the redeployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons to Korea until the denuclearization of North Korea is realized.

The Segye Ilbo also wrote in a Feb. 25 editorial that the redeployment should be considered, saying that as long as North Korea failed to permanently abandon its nuclear program, a redeployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons could be a realistic response.

The Chosun Ilbo is also taking an attitude seemingly in support of South Korea possessing nuclear weapons, running a series of columns by writers with the newspaper calling for South Korea to arm itself with nuclear weapons.

Prior to this, GNP Lawmaker Chung Mong-joon on Feb. 25 called on the government to consider reintroducing U.S. tactical nuclear weapons, saying the US nuclear umbrella alone could not get North Korea to abandon its nuclear program.

Lawmaker Chung Ok-im also called for a conditional redeployment, saying, “If North Korea abandons its nuclear program after the United States redeploys tactical nuclear weapons South Korea could have them withdrawn.”

Moreover, in an interview with the Joongang Ilbo on Monday, Gary Samore, the U.S. National Security Council’s Coordinator for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation said, “If South Korea, a U.S. ally, were to feel threatened by North Korea’s nuclear development and request that U.S. tactical nuclear weapons be redeployed, the United States would naturally agree to it,” appearing to lend strength to calls by Korean conservatives. The comment was prefaced as a personal opinion, but as a statement by a U.S. policy maker, it could light a new spark in the discussion regarding redeploying tactical nuclear weapons.

A high-ranking Cheong Wa Dae (the presidential office in South Korea or Blue House) official said Monday, however, “Redeployment is not at all being considered, and we have never even considered asking the United States.”

“South Korea made its position known regarding the issue of redeploying tactical nuclear weapons back in the early 1990s, and nothing has changed since then,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho Byung-jae in a regular briefing on Monday.

In fact, the majority view within and outside the government is critical of the utility of a redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons.

“South Korea is currently under the U.S. nuclear umbrella, and while 5 to 10 minutes could be saved on a response if nuclear weapons were introduced into South Korea, this is militarily meaningless,” said a South Korean government official in response to whether a redeployment could deter a North Korean nuclear attack.

“South Korea’s lack of nuclear weapons gives South Korea a moral advantage over North Korea, and through this has been calling for North Korea to denuclearize,” said another official. However, the official also expressed concerns that if nuclear weapons are brought back into Korea, the nuclear issue would never be resolved.

That is to say, not only would could it encourage a Cold War nuclear confrontation, but it could also lend support to North Korea’s arguments to strengthen its nuclear capabilities.

Some conservatives argue that the redeployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons could be a means to pressure China to make North Korea give up its nuclear program. In response, Peace Network head Jeong Uk-sik said, “If the United States and South Korea had done all they could to resolve the nuclear issue through dialogue, China could think differently, but if the Obama administration were to redeploy tactical nuclear weapons without holding six party talks even once, China will move even less.”

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]