Yoo Yong-won Hosts Policy Debate on South Korea's Nuclear Potential Strategy and National Assembly Mugunghwa Forum Launch Ceremony

Yoo Yong-won "Hope it becomes a platform for communication to secure nuclear armament potential"

Yoo Yong-won, a member of the National Assembly from the People Power Party, will hold the "Republic of Korea Nuclear Potential Securing Strategy Policy Forum and National Assembly Mugunghwa Forum Launch Ceremony" at 2 p.m. on the 9th in the National Assembly Members' Office Building.

The forum, held under the theme "How to Prevent the North Korean Nuclear Disaster. The Republic of Korea Can No Longer Delay Securing Nuclear Potential," was organized to discuss response strategies to the growing military threats on the Korean Peninsula, including the prolonged Russia-Ukraine war, intensified China-Taiwan cross-strait conflicts, and increased provocations from North Korea. Recently, positive opinions on the necessity of South Korea's nuclear armament have emerged among some experts in the United States, leading to various voices domestically and internationally advocating for South Korea's independent nuclear armament, tactical nuclear sharing, and securing nuclear potential.

However, there are concerns that if South Korea pursues independent nuclear armament, it will face many practical difficulties such as economic sanctions and pressure from the international community. Therefore, there is an argument that South Korea should secure the potential to arm nuclear weapons at any time by acquiring uranium enrichment and reprocessing technologies like Japan, without actually pursuing nuclear armament.

The forum and launch ceremony will begin with an inaugural speech by the host, Assemblyman Yoo, followed by a keynote speech by former Ambassador to the United Nations Park In-guk. In his keynote speech, former Ambassador Park is expected to present the necessity of promoting an international consortium involving South Korea, the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom or Europe, and Australia?the country with the largest uranium reserves?for the joint production and supply of enriched uranium used in civilian nuclear power plants from the perspectives of energy security and economic security.

Following this, the presentations and discussions will be chaired by Han Yong-seop, president of the International Security Exchange Association, with presentations by Jung Sung-jang, representative of the Korea Nuclear Security Strategy Forum, and Professor Hwang Yong-su of the International Nuclear Graduate School. Discussions will be conducted by Moon Geun-sik, special professor at Hanyang University Graduate School of Public Policy, Ham Hyung-pil, senior research fellow at the Korea Defense Research Institute, and Jo Bi-yeon, senior researcher at the Korea Defense Research Institute.

In his presentation, Jung, representative of the Korea Nuclear Security Strategy Forum, will explain the need to establish the 3rd Deputy Director Office of the National Security Office for securing South Korea's nuclear potential after the U.S. presidential election and the formation of a task force (TF) involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Intelligence Service to revise the Korea-U.S. nuclear agreement. Special Professor Moon will discuss the progress and future response strategies regarding South Korea's nuclear-powered submarine construction.

Assemblyman Yoo, representative of the National Assembly Mugunghwa Forum, said, "I am honored to be able to launch the Mugunghwa Forum for securing the Republic of Korea's nuclear armament potential in the National Assembly, the hall of public opinion," and added, "I hope today's forum will become a place of communication to form a consensus and discuss strategic measures for securing South Korea's nuclear armament potential."