On March11, Duyeon Kim published the following piece in The New York Times.
South Korea’s development of nuclear weapons is not realistic, despite the demands made by a few conservative politicians whenever North Korea acts up. It would be a clear violation of international law that would sever political and economic relations with its closest ally, the U.S., and neighboring countries. South Korean nuclear armament risks turning back the clock to the disastrous economic situation during the Korean War and crippling the world’s 12th-largest economy, which relies so extensively on international trade. No more smartphones, no more fashion, no more musical sensations like Psy. Moreover, Seoul does not possess the technical capability to go nuclear.
Seoul hasn’t seriously considered nuclear weapons since the 1970s Park Chung-hee military rule. But that was ignited by fears of abandonment when President Jimmy Carter suddenly decided to withdraw U.S. troops from the peninsula.
