Candidate Lee Jong-seop: "South Korea Also Targeted in North Korean Nuclear Attack"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter]Lee Jong-seop, the nominee for Minister of National Defense, stated that North Korea's possibility of a preemptive nuclear strike includes "South Korea as a target" as well.

At the confirmation hearing held at the National Assembly on the 4th, Lee interpreted North Korea's mention of the possibility of a preemptive nuclear strike by saying, "Generally, nuclear weapons are understood to be used only in response to nuclear threats, but North Korea means that it can carry out a preemptive strike with nuclear weapons even in situations that are not like that." He answered that the targets of such use "include South Korea as well."

Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission, at the military parade commemorating the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army (anti-Japanese guerrilla unit) held last month, said, "The fundamental mission of our nuclear forces is to deter war, but if a situation arises on this land that we absolutely do not desire, our nuclear weapons cannot be bound solely to the mission of preventing war," which was interpreted as implying the possibility of a preemptive nuclear strike.

He also expressed the position that, due to insufficient capability to respond to North Korean nuclear weapons, the United States' extended deterrence should be maximally utilized.

In response to a question from Seong Il-jong, a member of the People Power Party, regarding measures against the North Korean nuclear threat, Lee said, "At the moment, we lack the capability to respond to North Korean nuclear weapons, so it is necessary to make full use of the United States' extended deterrence forces," and added, "I think we need to strengthen the alliance from the perspective of our national interests." However, he emphasized, "We cannot rely solely on the United States, so we must also drastically strengthen our own capability to respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats."

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