June 02, 2023
Columns

Yoon says South Korea won’t go nuclear, but the WMD debate isn’t going anywhere

Evolving North Korean threats are pushing Seoul to cross nuclear threshold, though this would invite punitive responses

For the first time since becoming South Korea's president, Yoon Suk-yeol broached the idea of his country acquiring nuclear arms in a recent statement — only to reject the possibility.

"I believe the NPT [Non-Proliferation Treaty] regime is a very important and necessary premise for permanent world peace," he said at the press conference marking his 100th day in office.