On the Permanent Deployment of Korea-US Strategic Assets... Ruling Party Says "Tactical Nuclear Redeployment Still Necessary"

Jo Kyung-tae "It is only 'equivalent to permanent deployment'... Cannot guarantee security"
Jo Hae-jin, Chairman of the Intelligence Committee, "Tactical nuclear redeployment is stable"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Some members of the ruling party have expressed disappointment over the agreement between South Korea and the United States to strengthen existing extended deterrence by operating U.S. strategic assets in a manner equivalent to a "de facto permanent deployment" instead of redeploying tactical nuclear weapons in response to the North Korean nuclear threat. They argue that stronger countermeasures, such as the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons, are still necessary.

On the 5th, Jo Kyung-tae, one of the ruling party's presidential candidates, pointed out, "It is only 'equivalent to permanent deployment,' not an actual permanent deployment. This cannot guarantee our country's security." Jo strongly advocates for the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons and independent nuclear armament.

Earlier, on the 3rd (local time), during the 54th Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) held in Washington DC, South Korea and the U.S. announced that they would "operate U.S. strategic assets in a way that expands the frequency and intensity of their deployment on and around the Korean Peninsula to achieve an effect equivalent to permanent deployment." U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin also stated, "We will focus on ensuring that no one can attack South Korea."

However, Jo criticized, "Secretary Austin said 'no one can attack South Korea,' but there is no treaty or memorandum that guarantees this," adding, "This expression is merely a means to appease the Korean people."

Kim Ki-hyun, a member of the People Power Party who advocates for independent nuclear armament, also said that strengthening extended deterrence to a level equivalent to the permanent deployment of strategic assets, as agreed upon in this SCM, is insufficient and that independent nuclear armament is necessary.

Jo Hae-jin, chairman of the National Assembly Intelligence Committee and a member of the People Power Party, said, "This SCM decision is very well done," but also pointed out, "Redeploying tactical nuclear weapons at U.S. military bases in South Korea would be somewhat more efficient and stable."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

At one time, the number of tactical nuclear weapons deployed domestically reached as many as 950, but the U.S. withdrew its tactical nuclear weapons from South Korea in 1991 following the end of the Cold War, and the South Korean government adopted the "Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula" with North Korea. However, after North Korea withdrew from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and declared possession of nuclear weapons, the necessity of "redeploying tactical nuclear weapons" has been consistently raised, mainly by conservative ruling party politicians.

In fact, in 2017, 74 members of the Liberty Korea Party, the predecessor of the People Power Party, sent a letter to then U.S. President Donald Trump requesting the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons. The list of signatories to this letter includes Jeong Jin-seok, the current emergency committee chairman leading the People Power Party.

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