Na Kyung-won "Change in US Attitude if Trump Regains Power"
Oh Se-hoon and Hong Joon-pyo Also Support Nuclear Armament Theory
Han Dong-hoon, Won Hee-ryong, and Yoon Sang-hyun Oppose
Na Kyung-won, a member of the People Power Party running for party leader in the July 23rd party convention, has reignited the debate over South Korea's nuclear armament, a hot topic during the last presidential election, causing mixed reactions within the ruling party. As North Korea released waste balloons and established a comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia, drawing attention even among conservative supporters, not only the party leader candidates but also presidential hopefuls such as Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo have joined the discussion by expressing related positions.
On the same day, Na posted on Facebook, "Now we must also arm ourselves with nuclear weapons," and at a regular seminar of the New Future Preparation Committee (Saemi-jun), she told reporters, "North Korea can no longer be denied as a nuclear-armed state, and if former President Trump returns to power, the U.S. stance on North Korea will inevitably change."
In response, presidential hopefuls like Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo also voiced support. Mayor Oh, during a Saemi-jun seminar lecture, stated, "North Korea has already miniaturized and lightened its nuclear weapons," adding, "Neighboring countries without nuclear weapons become psychologically intimidated and are dragged along by the demands of the other side. Ultimately, they have no choice but to develop nuclear weapons."
Mayor Hong also wrote on Facebook, "Article 10 of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) allows withdrawal for self-defense. Now is the time for decisive leadership like De Gaulle," criticizing, "We want a trustworthy leader, not a clever or sly one. We do not need sly leaders who fear being labeled far-right and thus watch the left's reactions when advocating nuclear armament."
On the other hand, former People Power Party Emergency Committee Chairman Han Dong-hoon, former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong, and lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun expressed that it is premature for South Korea to pursue nuclear armament immediately.
Former Chairman Han, after registering as a party leader candidate at the Yeouido party headquarters in the morning, emphasized to reporters that North Korea is the only case of nuclear armament following withdrawal from the NPT while facing economic sanctions, and argued that South Korea should maintain potential capabilities in a manner similar to Japan. He said, "Strengthening security through nuclear capabilities is absolutely necessary. Given the changing international situation, we should at least reach the stage of possessing potential nuclear armament capabilities if needed."
Former Minister Won also posted on Facebook, "The argument that we should develop our own nuclear weapons due to the strengthening of the North Korea-Russia military alliance is gaining traction. I sympathize with that sentiment," but stressed, "Last year, South Korea and the U.S. achieved 'strengthened nuclear umbrella' through the Washington Declaration. Now, before pursuing nuclear armament, we should enhance the effectiveness of the Washington Declaration to strengthen nuclear deterrence against North Korea."
After meeting with Xing Haiming, the Chinese Ambassador to South Korea, at the National Assembly and speaking with reporters, lawmaker Yoon said, "Immediate nuclear armament is difficult," adding, "Within the limits of maintaining the denuclearization declaration of the Korean Peninsula, a more realistic approach is to station submarines and strategic assets equipped with nuclear weapons outside Korean territorial waters and establish a nuclear sharing agreement between South Korea and the U.S."
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