North Korean Neighbor Calls for Nuclear Weapons

A prominent South Korean politician is calling for the country to acquire nuclear weapons amid growing tensions with its northern neighbor.

Na Kyung-won, a Korean politician touted as a frontrunner to lead the country's official opposition, has proposed that her country “prepare now to develop nuclear weapons in a short period of time.”

In a Facebook post, Kyung-won explained why she believes the country should abandon its historic non-proliferation policy.

“The history of international society shows that only 'countries with the power' to suppress external threats have survived,” Na's message reads. “That is why we must think about nuclear weapons now, taking into account all the possibilities available to us.”

Na then presented her proposal, which she said would be guided by “international reason” and would be based on “cooperation between Korea and the United States.”

“We will prepare to develop nuclear weapons in the near future,” Mr. Na said. “I will not stop at words, but at actions.”

Na will run for election to become leader of the People's Power Party at the party's congress on July 23.

In 1975, South Korea joined the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which prohibits signatory states from developing nuclear weapons.

Although it has continued to engage in nuclear research programs since then, the country has maintained an official policy of non-proliferation.

However, Kim Jong Un has continually attempted to develop an offensive nuclear capability in the face of international condemnation, prompting South Korea to reconsider its position.

In 2023, outgoing President Yoon Suk-Yeol suggested the country could acquire its own nuclear arsenal if the situation with North Korea did not improve.

In April 2023, the United States agreed to deploy nuclear-armed submarines to South Korea in exchange for the country abandoning plans to develop its own nuclear weapons.

The latest threats from the opposition come amid heightened tensions between the two states, as well as several altercations along their border.

Last week, North Korean state media reported that the regime had “succeeded” in launching an advanced ballistic missile armed with a “very large warhead.”

According to the South Korean military, one of the missiles flew “abnormally” and likely landed near the country's capital, Pyongyang.

In late June, a hypersonic missile fired by North Korea similarly exploded in mid-flight over the Sea of ​​Japan.

In mid-June, satellite images showed several areas of the demilitarized zone along the Korean border where North Korea has cleared large swaths of land to build what appears to be a wall.

North Korean soldiers have also crossed the inter-Korean border in recent weeks, triggering warning shots from South Korean troops.

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