Jung Jin-seok Urges Strengthening National Safety Response Drills... Cautious on 'Tactical Nuclear Redeployment'

Less Safety Response Training Compared to Japan
Only We Disarmed After Korean Peninsula Denuclearization Declaration
"Extended Deterrence Must Be Strengthened" Repeatedly Emphasized

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Hyunju Lee and Hyunji Kwon] Jeong Jin-seok, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, urged the government on the 3rd to "actively seek ways to strengthen national safety response drills" in response to North Korea's successive missile provocations. Regarding the 'redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons' circulating within the ruling party recently, he drew a line, saying more dialogue is needed for now.

At a press conference held before the opening ceremony of the 43rd Korea-Japan Parliamentary Union Joint General Assembly on the same day, Chairman Jeong stated, "Compared to Japan, I judge that our national safety response drills are grossly insufficient."

He said, "What I want to emphasize here is that North Korea's provocations cannot be seen as unrealistic," adding, "If a missile is launched from Jagang Province, the time it takes to fall on Seoul is just over one minute, while it takes 7 to 8 minutes to fall on Japanese territory. I understand that Japan is currently conducting thorough evacuation drills and the like."

Chairman Jeong revealed that the People Power Party has prepared a 'Resolution Condemning the Legalization of North Korea's Nuclear Forces and Urging Acceptance of Denuclearization Talks' at the National Assembly level, but it has not even been proposed due to opposition from the Democratic Party of Korea. He explained, "We proposed it, but since the Democratic Party does not agree, the resolution has yet to be introduced."

He was reserved about the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons advocated by some within the ruling party. Chairman Jeong pointed out, "In 1991, the Roh Tae-woo government declared the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, which seemed to have shackled North Korea's nuclear development, but North Korea broke that promise and has been focusing on nuclear development." He added, "Thirty years have passed since then. We complied with the declaration and withdrew all tactical nuclear weapons deployed at U.S. military bases on our territory. We are the only ones disarmed."

He continued, "Nuclear weapons are not only for use but also necessary for nuclear deterrence," and added, "In that context, this issue should be discussed through dense dialogue between Korea and Japan."

Nevertheless, he said, "So far, we have never expressed that we should develop nuclear weapons ourselves or redeploy tactical nuclear weapons on our territory, but we need to strengthen extended deterrence," adding, "The specific way in which the U.S. will provide the pledged nuclear umbrella and related issues require genuine concrete dialogue between Korea and Japan."

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