Exclusive: Seoul mayor calls for South Korean nuclear weapons to counter threat from North
Oh Se-hoon, the candidate of the main opposition People Power Party, speaks while watching television broadcasting the counting for the Seoul mayoral by-election, at party headquarters in Seoul, South Korea April 8, 2021. Song Kyung-Seok/Pool via REUTERS
South Korea should build nuclear weapons to bolster its defences against North Korea, even at the risk of international repercussions, the mayor of its capital city said, arguing that the country cannot be bound by the goal of denuclearisation.
In an exclusive interview with Reuters, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon added new fuel to a growing debate over how South Korea should arm itself as the North races to perfect its capability to strike the South with tactical nuclear weapons.
"North Korea has nearly succeeded in miniaturising and lightening tactical nuclear weapons and secured at least dozens of warheads," Oh said. "We've come to a point where it is difficult to convince people with the logic that we should refrain from developing nuclear weapons and stick to the cause of denuclearisation."
He has raised the issue before, saying in February that the South should keep the nuclear option available. But his new comments are his strongest yet. Read More…
