Korea’s Tragic History (II) – The Korea Times

By Heo Mane

Korea’s greatest tragedy was the Korean War. It was the first significant act of aggression by an international communist coalition against a peaceful and legitimate government.

How can the Republic of Korea (ROK) escape the ongoing tragedies around the peninsula? And what instruments can it use to deal with the ongoing nuclear threats, particularly from North Korea? South Korea has faced nuclear threats particularly since 2006, the year of the North’s first nuclear test. From a geopolitical perspective, the country was therefore at a crossroads. The only maximum instrument for security and peace in the Republic of Korea is obviously the possession of independent nuclear weapons as an independent deterrent to North Korea’s prepared nuclear threats.

The nation’s peace and security have depended on the U.S. nuclear umbrella since the 1953 Republic of Korea-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty and the recently implemented U.S. Expanded Deterrence Strategy. However, given recent developments, the Koreans are unable to independently defend their country. In times of need, they would not be willing to launch a quick preemptive strike against North Korea due to the lack of nuclear weapons.

North Korea is known to produce both plutonium and uranium bombs. The country has tested its sixth nuclear bomb so far. It demonstrated its uranium enrichment facilities. Such a strategic imbalance leads to a great and dangerous situation in Northeast Asia as a whole.

In addition, North Korea has developed advanced short-, medium-, and long-range missiles, including cruise missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles. The country even has intercontinental ballistic missiles that are fully capable of attacking the US mainland. This rogue state can undermine the international rules-based order, thereby endangering global security and peace.

It is widely accepted that Kim Jong-un is determined to begin disarmament talks with the new US administration after November’s presidential election. Towards this clear goal, he recently demonstrated and aimed 250 medium-sized missiles at key tactical and strategic installations in the South. Backed by Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, he appears to be opposing the operations of the Quad (an informal strategic forum consisting of the US, Japan, Australia and India) in the Indo-Pacific region. South Korea should aim to develop Quad operational capabilities to contain the growing Northern Triangle coalition. In this context, the Southern Triangle Coalition should strengthen its strategic cooperation to effectively counter the former. Given these developments in the geopolitical landscape, South Korea must consider and follow these steps on the path to acquiring independent nuclear weapons.

First, in the face of nuclear threats from the North, South Korea must withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which would exempt the country from complying with International Atomic Energy Agency obligations. With such a withdrawal, South Korea could then declare the use of nuclear weapons as a deterrent to North Korea’s willingness to go to war, consistent with maintaining peace and security in the region. Second, there is growing concern that many Koreans doubt whether the United States will keep its promise to defend the South against the North in the event of a nuclear war. North Korea already has nuclear weapons that it can use free of sanctions and outside intervention. No other country can intervene in this country’s nuclear strategy.

Third, the United States is concerned about the loss or damage to its influence and dominance in international politics after facing serious immoral criticism if it uses its nuclear weapons.

Fourth, maintaining nuclear weapons under extended deterrence will be the only credible deterrent against intervention by China and Russia. Consequently, this strategy will preserve a fragile peace in Northeast Asia. Given the region’s vulnerable geography and North Korea’s nuclear threat, South Korea may actually need to consider acquiring its own nuclear capabilities as an urgent necessity.

Heo Mane, professor emeritus at Pusan ​​National University, is a former president of the Korean Society of Contemporary European Studies. This article does not reflect the editorial position of The Korea Times.