South Korean leader: Seoul will not seek nuclear deterrence of its own

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said Wednesday that his government has no plans to pursue its own nuclear deterrence in the face of growing nuclear threats from North Korea, urging the North to return to the dialogue aimed at exchanging denuclearization. procedures to obtain economic benefits.

At a news conference in Seoul, Yoon said South Korea does not want political change in North Korea by force, calling for diplomacy aimed at building sustainable peace between the rivals amid tensions over accelerating growth. Northern weapons program.

Yoon’s comments came days after he proposed a “bold” economic assistance package to North Korea if it abandoned its nuclear weapons program, while avoiding harsh criticism of the North after it threatened “deadly” retaliation over an outbreak. of COVID-19 that he blames on the South. .

Tensions could rise further next week when the United States and South Korea begin their biggest combined military training in years to counter the North Korean threat. North Korea describes these drills as invasion drills and has often responded with missile tests or other provocations.

Yoon’s proposal for large-scale aid in food and medical care and the modernization of energy and port infrastructure resembled previous offers from South Korea that were rejected by North Korea, which is accelerating its development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, considered by leader Kim Jong Un to be the strongest. survival guarantee.

Still, Yoon expressed hope for “meaningful dialogue” with North Korea on its plan, stressing that Seoul is willing to provide corresponding economic rewards at each step of a staged denuclearization process if the North commits to a ” genuine roadmap” to completely abandon their weapons. Program.

“We’re not telling them to fully denuclearize first and then we’ll provide,” Yoon said. “What we are saying is that we will provide the things that we can in correspondence with their steps if they only show a firm determination (towards denuclearization).”

Inter-Korean ties have worsened amid a deadlock in broader North Korea-US nuclear talks that derailed in early 2019 over disagreements over an easing of crippling US-led sanctions against the North. North in exchange for disarmament measures.

North Korea has accelerated its missile tests to a record pace in 2022, launching more than 30 ballistic weapons so far, including its first ICBMs in nearly five years.

The high testing activity underscores North Korea’s dual intent to upgrade its arsenal and force the United States to accept the idea of ​​the North as a nuclear power so it can negotiate economic and security concessions from a position of strength, experts say. Kim could up the ante as soon as there are signs that North Korea is preparing to conduct its first nuclear test since September 2017, when he claimed to have developed a thermonuclear weapon for his intercontinental ballistic missiles.

While Kim’s ICBMs receive much of the international attention, North Korea is also expanding its range of nuclear-capable short-range missiles that can target South Korea. Kim has punctuated his weapons development with threats to proactively use his nuclear weapons in conflicts against the South or the US, which experts say communicates a growing nuclear doctrine that could heighten the concerns of his neighbors.

Yoon vowed to strengthen the South’s defenses through his alliance with the United States by resuming large-scale military training that was canceled or scaled back during the Trump years and bolstering the South’s missile defenses. The Biden administration also reaffirmed US commitments to defend South Korea and Japan, including “extended deterrence,” referring to a guarantee to defend allies with all of its military capabilities, including nuclear.

But some experts say it is becoming clear that South Korea has no clear way to counter North Korea’s influence with its nuclear weapons, expressing concerns that Washington might hesitate to defend its ally in the event of war when the missiles Kim’s intercontinental ballistic missiles would pose a potential threat to the continental United States. cities

Some South Koreans have called for the reintroduction of US tactical nuclear weapons that were withdrawn from the South in the 1990s, or for Seoul to seek its own deterrence.

Yoon ruled out the possibility of the latter during the press conference, saying that Seoul will remain committed to an international treaty aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons.

“I think the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) regime is a very important and necessary premise for permanent world peace,” Yoon said, expressing hope that the US deterrence strategy for its allies could evolve to counter the growing threat from the North.

Yoon’s comments came after North Korea last week claimed a widely disputed victory over COVID-19 but also blamed South Korea for the outbreak. North Korea insists that leaflets and other objects that activists carry across the border spread the virus, an unscientific claim that Seoul describes as “ridiculous.”

North Korea has a history of ratcheting up pressure on South Korea when it doesn’t get what it wants from the United States, and there are concerns that North Korea’s threat heralds a provocation, which could include a nuclear or missile test or even border skirmishes. . Some experts say North Korea could spark tensions around joint military exercises between the allies that begin next week.

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