South Korea indicates use of nuclear weapons

If North Korea’s nuclear weapons program continues, it may be necessary to deploy such weapons on South Korean territory. South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol made the announcement at a meeting of the foreign and defense ministries, The New York Times reported.

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“We can either station American nuclear weapons here or make our own,” the president said. This is the first time since 1991 that a South Korean president has officially spoken in support of South Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

As part of efforts to limit the spread of nuclear weapons, the United States removed its nuclear arsenal from the peninsula that year. Yoon stressed that there is no direct adjustment of the policy yet.

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Various tests

North Korea has conducted 6 nuclear tests so far. The last one was in 2017. Observers fear that the seventh test could happen soon. By 2022, the country will have a record number of missiles, including missiles carrying nuclear warheads.