Jung Jin-seok "Strengthen National Safety Drills to Prepare for North Korean Nuclear Threat"... Ruling Party Voices Call for 'Tactical Nukes'

"Missile launched from Jagang-do reaches Seoul in just over 1 minute"
Calls for 'tactical nuclear redeployment' grow within the party... Yoo Seung-min says "A game changer is needed"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Lee Ji-eun, Naju-seok, Kwon Hyun-ji] Regarding North Korea's ballistic missile provocations for two consecutive days, Jeong Jin-seok, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, raised his voice, saying, "This is the 30th provocation this year alone" and "It cannot be overlooked." He emphasized, "We must show a resolute response with a firm preparedness against North Korea's repeated provocations." In particular, he urged the government to "actively consider strengthening national safety response drills to protect the lives and safety of the people."

On the 3rd, Chairman Jeong held a press conference at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul, where he visited to attend the Korea-Japan Parliamentary Union General Assembly, stating, "We cannot regard North Korea's provocations as unrealistic. If a missile is launched from Jagang Province, it takes just over one minute to reach Seoul." He added, "I understand that Japan is currently conducting thorough evacuation drills, but compared to that, our national safety response drills are grossly insufficient."

Regarding the background of North Korea's repeated provocations, Chairman Jeong said, "It appears that North Korea is firing a signal flare ahead of its 7th nuclear test," adding, "However, as North Korea's provocative behavior becomes increasingly blatant and the level of provocations south of the NLL (Northern Limit Line) is comparable to the past, I believe there is an intention to cause a severe security crisis."

As the chairman of the Korea-Japan Parliamentary Union, Chairman Jeong will discuss North Korea missile response measures with Japanese lawmakers at the joint general assembly of the Korea-Japan Parliamentary Union and the Japan-Korea Parliamentary Union held that day. He said, "Considering the serious security situation, the importance of security cooperation between Korea and Japan is being emphasized more than ever," and added, "I expect that through discussions prepared for the first time in three years, the security cooperation measures between the two countries will be discussed in depth."

As North Korea's level of provocation rises, calls for redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons have emerged again within the ruling party. Former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min, who is currently leading in public opinion polls among party leadership candidates, emphasized the need for tactical nuclear redeployment through his social network service (SNS) the day before, saying, "We must secure a game changer." Another party leadership candidate, People Power Party lawmaker Cho Kyung-tae, also stressed the importance of tactical nuclear redeployment, even mentioning the possibility of "deployment in constituencies."

Voices are also emerging that, even if tactical nuclear redeployment is not pursued, other means besides existing extended deterrence should be secured. Yoon Jae-ok, chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee and a People Power Party lawmaker, said, "The current nuclear umbrella alone is insufficient," and added, "We need to have response measures." Tae Yong-ho, the party's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee secretary, also advocated for "NATO-style nuclear sharing" through SNS.

Chairman Jeong Jin-seok also stated, "Nuclear weapons are necessary to deter nuclear weapons," adding, "The issue of how the U.S. will concretely provide the pledged nuclear umbrella must be advanced through dialogue based on trust."

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