South Korea should build nuclear weapons to defend against North, says Seoul’s mayor

Oh Se-hoon of South Korea’s ruling People Power Party is one of the highest-profile officials to actively advocate for a nuclear weapons programme

He said developing nuclear weapons would meet some ‘initial resistance’ but ultimately send a message to China to curb the North’s military build-up

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Activists protest in Seoul this month against plans to promote nuclear power generation. There is a growing debate in South Korea over how it should arm itself as the North races to perfect its nuclear-weapons capabilities. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 11:05am, 13 Mar 2023Updated: 12:15pm, 13 Mar 2023

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, 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.”

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said war in Ukraine had cemented his conviction that denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula has lost its appeal. Photo: Yonhap via EPA-EFE

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.

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