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Saenuri Party floor leader Won Yoo-cheol shakes hands with former US State Department Special Advisor for Nonproliferation and Arms Control Robert Einhorn at the National Assembly in Seoul

The Saenuri Party’s floor leader is facing a backlash after advocating South Korea’s nuclear armament in an Apr. 27 meeting with a former US official.

The comments by floor leader Won Yoo-cheol, who has made similar statements in the past, were the result of a single-minded focus on the North Korea threat while ignoring the fact that Washington’s basic East Asia policy position is opposed to nuclear proliferation. The official in question was also a specialist in nonproliferation and arms reduction.

Won delivered his remarks while meeting at the National Assembly with former US State Department Special Advisor for Nonproliferation and Arms Control Robert Einhorn.

“I think it’s good for the Korean Peninsula to maintain denuclearization,” Woo said.

“But the people of South Korea are feeling very nervous with North Korea breaking its pledge to the international community and making advancements in its nuclear weapons, and with a fifth nuclear test looking imminent,” he continued.

“I have said in the past that South Korea should have peaceful nuclear capabilities to counter North Korea’s terror and destructive nuclear capabilities,” he added.

Woo’s comments echoed similar ones made during a parliamentary negotiation group representative’s speech in February.

“We also need to take special measures to meet the new security situation following North Korea’s continued provocations,” he said at the time.

“It is now time for us to consider a survival strategy, including responding with peaceful nuclear weapons and missiles within our self-defense authority to North Korea‘s nuclear weapons and missiles of fear and destruction,” he also argued.

In his meeting with Einhorn, Won said he did “not have the slightest doubts about the South Korea-US military cooperation system” and felt “fortunate to have the strongest united military force and military alliance in the world.”

“I don’t doubt that this gives us a significant deterrent against North Korea‘s provocations,” he added.

At that point, Einhorn cut Won off with a question.

“You said you don’t doubt the effectiveness of the US and South Korea‘s united military force. If that force meets South Korea’s defense needs, I’d like to ask why you would want to pursue your own deterrent,” he said.

Einhorn went on to express serious doubts about the approach.

“There could be a serious price to pay if South Korea attempts to build its own independent nuclear deterrent,” he said.

Einhorn has consistently expressed opposition South Korea’s nuclear armament, stating in numerous past interviews he did not believe South Korea would develop its own nuclear weapons as long as its alliance with the US remains strong.

By Seong Yeon-cheol, staff reporter

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