The 'Nuclear Armament Theory' Arising from the North Korean Nuclear Crisis...Debate Over Its 'Practicality'

Amid escalating tensions between the South and North following North Korea's demolition of the Kaesong Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office and its announcement to resume military exercises, a K9 self-propelled howitzer is on standby at a South Korean military base in the border area of Paju, Gyeonggi Province on the 18th.
Photo by Kim Hyun-min, Paju kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Amid the realization of the North Korean nuclear threat, the opposition parties are raising the issue of 'nuclear armament.' Former Seoul Mayor and opposition presidential candidate Oh Se-hoon is calling for the weaponization of the nuclear option, while some voices question its practicality.

On the 19th, former Mayor Oh suggested on Facebook, "If there is any better strategy to deal with North Korea, which absolutely does not want to give up its nuclear weapons, please present it," proposing to use nuclear development and tactical nuclear redeployment as diplomatic negotiation weapons.

Earlier, Oh appeared on KBS Radio's 'Kim Kyung-rae's Strongest Current Affairs' and raised the nuclear armament argument, saying, "To move China, we inevitably have to handle the nuclear card." He added that it is closer to using the nuclear development option as a diplomatic lever to influence China and others rather than actually developing nuclear weapons, but even considering it could provoke neighboring countries, so the risk is not entirely absent.

The nuclear armament argument is mainly coming from opposition figures. On the 17th, Han Ki-ho, a member of the United Future Party's Foreign Affairs and Security Special Committee, raised the issue during a committee meeting, stating, "There is no countermeasure against nuclear weapons other than nuclear weapons. We need to seriously consider this." Lawmaker Tae Young-ho also emphasized the importance of nuclear weapons, saying, "North Korea acts as it pleases because it has nuclear weapons. The core issue is nuclear weapons." Later, Park Jin, chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Security Special Committee, drew a line by saying, "The Republic of Korea is a country that upholds denuclearization, and the United Future Party's position is to maintain extended deterrence through the ROK-US alliance."

On the other hand, some question its practicality. Independent lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun, formerly of the United Future Party, opposed it, saying, "It is not a realistic card," and warned, "It would cause irreparable damage by being treated as the same kind of rogue state as North Korea."

Democratic Party lawmaker Jung Chung-rae also criticized former Mayor Oh, saying, "Stop this shallow noise marketing that does not help peace on the Korean Peninsula or national interests at all," and added, "It's pathetic to make such immature claims just to get a headline." In response, former Mayor Oh rebutted on Facebook, saying, "I am not saying to develop nuclear weapons immediately," and explained, "In diplomatic negotiations, having leverage increases the chances of success. At this stage, if we were to name it, it would be the 'nuclear option leverage strategy card.'"

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.