Washington Declaration 'Aftershock'... Why Did It Spread to Demands for Kim Tae-hyo's Dismissal?

Kim Tae-hyo's 'De Facto Nuclear Sharing' Remarks Spark Ongoing Controversy
Criticism Focuses on Classified Information Leak Conviction and US Support Allegations

Following Kim Tae-hyo, the First Deputy Director of the National Security Office, referring to "de facto nuclear sharing" immediately after the South Korea-US joint press conference, a senior US government official stated that "this is not nuclear sharing," continuing the related controversy. Voices demanding Kim's dismissal are emerging, mainly from the opposition party.

Earlier, the Washington Declaration, which includes strengthening extended deterrence provided by the US to South Korea, was adopted at the South Korea-US summit. Regarding this, Kim Tae-hyo explained at a local briefing in Washington on the 26th of last month, the day of the summit, that "it will feel as if we are effectively sharing nuclear weapons with the US."

Kim Tae-hyo, the First Deputy Director of the National Security Office, is briefing at a press center set up in a hotel in Washington DC, USA, on the 26th (local time). Photo by Yonhap News

However, the US expressed a different stance from the Presidential Office, drawing a line by stating that it is not nuclear sharing. Ed Keegan, Senior Director for East Asia and Oceania at the White House National Security Council (NSC), responded at a briefing for Korean correspondents held at the State Department in Washington DC to the question, "Does the South Korean government agree with describing the Washington Declaration as de facto nuclear sharing?" by saying, "We do not consider this declaration to be de facto nuclear sharing."

Kwon Chil-seung, Chief Spokesperson of the Democratic Party, said in a written briefing on the 30th of last month, "The Presidential Office has been spouting sophistry such as 'emphasizing psychological reassurance' and 'it will feel like nuclear sharing,'" and criticized, "Is it reasonable to claim that the Republic of Korea shares the US's nuclear weapons when it is not the US, which actually possesses the nuclear weapons? Who would believe such a statement? It is laughable."

He also said, "President Yoon's claim that the Washington Declaration is more effective than NATO is just an exaggeration misleading public opinion," and added, "It is hard to understand how the Washington Declaration, which failed to redeploy nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula or develop independent nuclear weapons and is based on tactical nuclear deployment, is more effective in responding to North Korea's nuclear threat than NATO-style nuclear sharing."

Such criticism has escalated into demands for Kim's dismissal over the "de facto nuclear sharing" remark. Democratic Party lawmaker Park Yong-jin pointed out that Kim lacks understanding of NATO-style nuclear sharing. On the 1st, on SBS Radio's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show,' Park said, "Since we often hear about NATO-style nuclear sharing in the media, it seems Kim simply thought, 'NATO-style nuclear sharing? Okay, then nuclear sharing with the Republic of Korea too,'" and added, "If this is not just rhetoric but an actual belief, then National Security Office Director Kim Tae-hyo should be promptly dismissed."

Park continued, "The US absolutely has no intention of sharing nuclear weapons with anyone. They are just expressing it that way," and said, "However, because South Korea spoke as if NATO-style nuclear sharing would give us decision-making authority, the US immediately denied this part."

Former National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won is giving a lecture on the theme "If DJ (Former President Kim Dae-jung) Were Here Now" at Wonkwang University in Iksan, Jeonbuk, on the 8th. Photo by Yonhap News

Former National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won has repeatedly criticized, saying that Kim must step down for the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's diplomacy to succeed. On the 30th of last month, Park said on Facebook, "As soon as National Security Office First Deputy Director Kim Tae-hyo announced the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) agreement as 'de facto nuclear sharing,' the US National Security Council director denied it," and added, "When he went to the US, the problem was the subject, and now the obsession with terminology is the problem. It is treating the public like fools."

Also, on the 2nd, on the YouTube channel 'Kim Eo-jun's Humility is Difficult News Factory,' Park said, "Kim Tae-hyo rushed for the success of the South Korea-US summit but ended up being embarrassed," and reiterated, "For the future success of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's diplomacy, either Kim Tae-hyo himself should step down or President Yoon should dismiss him."

Meanwhile, this is not the first time demands for Kim's dismissal have arisen. Previously, in October last year, when Kim was convicted by the Supreme Court for military secret leakage during the Lee Myung-bak administration, the Democratic Party demanded his dismissal. However, the Presidential Office stated, "He received the lightest sentence of probation with a fine," and "We do not see the need for separate measures."

Last month, criticism poured in that Kim defended the US by saying there was "no malicious intent" from the US side regarding allegations that US intelligence agencies wiretapped the Presidential Office, but the Presidential Office again protected Kim. Regarding the Democratic Party's submission of a dismissal request for Kim, the Presidential Office said on the 17th of last month, "Kim Tae-hyo has traveled to the US and prepared for the South Korea-US summit on the diplomatic front line, so who would benefit if he were to step down?"

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