Nearly Three-Quarters of South Koreans Support Nuclear Weapons Development
Mitch Shin
Introduction:
Since South Korean President Moon Jae-in reactivated his progressive predecessors’ peace process on the Korean Peninsula, an arms build-up has been off Moon’s table. However, nuclear talks and inter-Korean dialogues have not made substantive progress, having stalled since the failed Hanoi summit in 2019. As a result, South Koreans now support developing the country’s own nuclear weapons amid North Korea’s growing nuclear and missile capabilities.
According to a poll released by the Chicago Council on Monday, 71 percent of respondents are in favor of South Korea developing its own nuclear weapons while 56 percent support deployment of U.S. nuclear weapons to the South’s soil. However, the poll made clear that the responders “overwhelmingly prefer an independent arsenal (67%) over US deployment (9%)” when asked to choose between the two options. This implies that South Koreans want their country to beef up its self-defense capabilities and be more independent from the U.S. military assets.
South Koreans still have confidence in the military alliance with the United States, but former U.S. President Donald Trump showed the vulnerable position of the South by mentioning reducing the U.S. forces stationed in South Korea during the negotiations for the Special Measures Agreement in 2020. With that in mind, South Koreans believe the country should invest more resources and money to develop its own powerful weapons.
The poll found that 40 percent of South Koreans oppose the deployment of U.S. nuclear weapons, while just 26 percent oppose building a domestic nuclear arsenal.
Meanwhile, 82 percent believe North Korea is unlikely to give up its nuclear weapons, implying South Koreans are looking to develop nuclear weapons for self-defense against the North’s growing nuclear and missile capabilities.
Related Publications
-
Economic Transformation Under Kim Jong Il
Kim Jong Il noted the importance of both economic reforms and North Korea’s connecting with the outside world. However, domestic political constraints did not allow him to proceed with bold […]
-
From Europe, Yoon Suk Yeol Calls for International Cooperation on North Korea’s Nuclear and Missile Threats
Introduction: The leaders of the United States, South Korea, and Japan met in Madrid on Wednesday. Held on the sidelines of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) meetings this week, the trilateral […]
-
Korean Peninsula Tensions Escalate Amid a Return to Old School Policies
Introduction: South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin met his U.S. counterpart Antony Blinken on Monday in Washington, D.C. The meeting came three weeks after a summit meeting in Seoul between […]
-
North Korea Threats Make Engaging Quad a Risk Worth Taking for South Korea
Introduction: For much of the past decade, South Korea was inclined to play a balancing act between the U.S. and China while keeping its foreign policy energy primarily focused on […]
-
What North Korea Thinks About the Russia-Ukraine War
Introduction: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has raised many new security concerns not only for Europe, but also for the rest of the world. In Northeast Asia, Russia’s proximity and strategic […]
-
South Korea’s Foreign Policy in Changing Times: Reversing Course?
Abstract: The tragedy currently unfolding in Ukraine may be a symptom of new dynamics in global geopolitics. The changing balance of power epitomized by the rise of China and the […]