A nuclear South Korea?
| Author | Mun Suk Ahn,Young Chul Cho |
| Published date | 01 March 2014 |
| Date | 01 March 2014 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/0020702013518495 |
| Subject Matter | Scholarly Essays |
International Journal
2014, Vol. 69(1) 26–34
!The Author(s) 2014
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DOI: 10.1177/0020702013518495
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Scholarly Essay
A nuclear South Korea?
Mun Suk Ahn
Chonbuk National University, Republic of Korea
Young Chul Cho
Leiden University, the Netherlands
Abstract
After North Korea’s third nuclear test in February 2013, South Koreans are once again
debating whether to go nuclear. Some advocates of South Korean nuclear possession
argue that nuclear weapons are necessary for self-defence against the nuclear-armed
North. Some support South Korea’s nuclearization as leverage vis-a
`-vis North Korea
and China. Some argue that going nuclear will heighten the South’s national prestige.
However, others counter that South Korea’s nuclearization is not desirable and, indeed,
barely feasible. First, since North–South conflicts have not diminished since the 1953
truce, the nuclear armament of the two Koreas could result in a nuclear war. Second,
the South’s nuclearization would only hasten North Korea’s ardent pursuit of securing
and increasing its stock of nuclear warheads. Third, it would prompt a fierce arms race
in Northeast Asia by pressing Japan and Taiwan to go nuclear. Finally, it would under-
mine Seoul’s close ties with Washington. In order to maintain a nuclear-free South
Korea, the US needs to reinforce its nuclear umbrella and eradicate the North
Korean nuclear threat through active and comprehensive negotiations with Pyongyang.
Keywords
Nuclear armament, nuclear war, arms race, nuclear umbrella, nuclear threat, leverage,
national prestige, active and comprehensive negotiations
Should South Korea go nuclear? North Korea’s successful launch of a long-range
rocket in December 2012 and third nuclear test in February 2013 have made this
controversial, somewhat taboo, issue an important security topic of public debate
in today’s South Korea. Nuclear armament is debated daily on TV, internet sites,
and in newspapers by academics, journalists, former government officials, polit-
icians, and civic activists.
Corresponding author:
Young Chul Cho, Leiden Institute for Area Studies & International Institute for Asian Studies, Rapenburg
59, 2311 GJ Leiden, the Netherlands.
Email: youngchul.cho@gmail.com
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