Han Duck-soo: "Possessing Nuclear Weapons Independently Is Not a Viable Option at Present"

President Yoon's January Report Mentions "Possibility of Independent Nuclear Possession"
Han Duck-soo Says "It Can Be Said in Terms of Strengthening Deterrence"

[Asia Economy Reporters Naju-seok and Kim Young-won] Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said on the 6th regarding President Yoon Suk-yeol's remarks on 'independent nuclear possession,' "I think it is not an option available at this time."

Prime Minister Han made this statement during a government question session in response to a question from Hong Ki-won, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, about President Yoon's remarks on independent nuclear possession.

When asked about the intention behind the remarks, Prime Minister Han explained, "It can be considered if a last-resort situation unfolds, but I understood it to mean that more emphasis should be placed on deterrence and nuclear reinforcement agreed upon between South Korea and the United States."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Earlier, on the 11th of last month, President Yoon stated in his closing remarks during the Ministry of National Defense and Ministry of Foreign Affairs briefing, "If the (North Korean nuclear threat) issue becomes serious, we might deploy tactical nuclear weapons in South Korea or possess our own nuclear weapons," adding, "However, it is always important to choose realistically feasible means."

Regarding the appropriateness of the remarks, Prime Minister Han said, "From the standpoint of the president, who must protect the nation as the head of state, it can be considered if our security situation worsens, but given the current situation, I think it should be said that we need to strengthen deterrence through means including nuclear capabilities agreed upon between South Korea and the United States."

On the effectiveness of independent nuclear armament, he said, "(Nuclear armament) is neither easy nor something that must be done immediately."

Assemblyman Hong introduced that North Korea is sanctioned by the United Nations (UN) for nuclear possession, whereas India and Pakistan are not, due to differences in membership in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). He continued, "To pursue nuclear armament, we would have to withdraw from the NPT," adding, "If we push for nuclear armament, South Korea would not be able to avoid severe UN sanctions. Our economy, which depends on trade, would collapse, and our alliance with the United States, the guardian of the nuclear non-proliferation regime, could also become precarious."