Go to contents

Trump coould redeploy tactical nuclear weapons to S. Korea

Trump coould redeploy tactical nuclear weapons to S. Korea

Posted September. 11, 2017 07:49,   

Updated September. 11, 2017 08:14

한국어

The redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula to respond to North Korea’s nuclear test and missile launch has emerged as a key issue between the U.S. and South Korea. NBC news reported on last Friday (local time) that the Trump administration considers to deploy tactical nuclear weapons to South Korea at its request, citing senior White House and Pentagon officials. It also quoted officials as saying that the U.S. has already told China that South Korea and Japan may develop their own nuclear programs if China fails to strengthen pressure on the North.”

The NBC’s report is creating implications as South Korea’s Defense Minister Song Young-moo announced to review the option to bring back tactical nuclear weapons to the nation and the opposition Liberty Korea Party pushed hard with the plan. The presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said that the U.S. did not ask the issue officially, and the government did not discuss and reviewed the option currently as it was far from the principle of denuclearization of Korea. Washington insiders said that the deployment of tactical nukes was way down the list as in the case of preemptive strikes.

In the meantime, the U.S. conducted the last-minute negotiations with China and Russia so that they would agree to suspend oil supply to North Korea as it requested to vote on the North at UN Security Council on Monday. Reuters cited a U.S. official that China and Russia said to accept the textile export ban on North Korea only but it is still hard to predict. The U.S. considers finding ways for unilateral sanctions on the North such as military options and secondary boycott (sanctions on third parties) even if the two permanent members of the UN Security Council reject the resolution by exercising their veto power.



sunshade@donga.com · weappon@donga.com