South Korea's nuclear debate: is US promise of help enough to deter Pyongyang?
Nuclear armament has re-emerged as a hot-button issue in
South Korea 's presidential race, but analysts warn that the costs could far outweigh the benefits.
The debate has resurfaced in the lead-up to the country's snap presidential election on June 3, as tensions with Pyongyang escalate.
It took centre stage during the final televised presidential debate on Tuesday night, where Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) front-runner, clashed with his conservative rival, Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party (PPP), over the possibility of South Korea pursuing nuclear weapons.
'Do you still believe South Korea should arm itself with nuclear weapons?' Lee asked.
Kim responded: 'The South Korea-US alliance is the most important pillar of our security. If pursuing nuclear armament is possible within the framework of that alliance, we should consider it.'
South Korea's presidential candidates (from left) Lee Jae-myung, Kwon Young-guk, Kim Moon Soo and Lee Jun-seok ahead of the third televised presidential debate on Tuesday. Photo: Kyodo/AP
Lee condemned the idea as reckless, arguing that hosting US tactical nuclear weapons or pursuing nuclear-sharing agreements would violate US policy and international norms, including the Non-Proliferation Treaty that South Korea ratified in 1975.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
42 minutes ago
- South China Morning Post
Mainland Chinese market for weight loss and diabetes drugs to soon be more crowded: report
Competition in the mainland Chinese market for diabetes and weight loss drugs is set to intensify as more than 60 late-stage drug candidates are undergoing clinical trials, according to a recent report. Up to 20 biosimilar or generic copies will vie for market share and add pricing pressure after Denmark-based Novo Nordisk's semaglutide product loses patent protection in China next year, according to Boston-based global consultancy L.E.K. Consulting. Novo Nordisk's patent will expire in 2031 in Japan and Europe and 2032 in the US, according to its latest annual report. 'The landscape in China is expected to become even more competitive than in developed markets, where the GLP-1 category is primarily dominated by leading multinational pharmaceutical companies,' said Helen Chen, L.E.K.'s global healthcare and life sciences co-head, in a report on May 15. GLP-1 drugs mimic natural hormones, which signal the pancreas to release more insulin when blood-sugar levels are high, and also support weight loss by slowing digestion and reducing appetite. 04:12 One reporter's weight-loss journey and what a 'healthy body' means to him One reporter's weight-loss journey and what a 'healthy body' means to him Driven by sales growth of semaglutide, Novo Nordisk became the 10th largest drug company in the world in terms of revenue. London-based consultancy Evaluate said the firm's revenue rose 25 per cent to US$42.1 billion last year.
South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong to stick with 2% to 3% growth goal despite strong first quarter: Chan
Hong Kong will maintain its economic growth target of between 2 and 3 per cent for this year, the city's finance chief has said, while describing the anticipated rapid gains in the first quarter as an 'exception' rather than the norm. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po also said on Monday that authorities would 'prepare for the worst' despite the easing of tariffs amid the US-China trade war, but added that the recent rise in tourism would help offset sluggish domestic consumption. The government earlier set its growth forecast for gross domestic product at between 2 and 3 per cent for the year, following a 2.5 per cent year-on-year expansion in 2024. 'The overall growth forecast has not been adjusted upwards despite [the first quarter's] performance,' Chan told lawmakers on Monday. 'That's because the rapid growth in the first quarter was the exception rather than the norm, and there may be wild changes in the US government's policy. 'So we have to manage our risks. We have to prepare for the worst.'
South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Samsung nears wide-ranging deal with Perplexity for AI features
Samsung Electronics is nearing a wide-ranging deal to invest in Perplexity AI and put search technology from the artificial intelligence start-up at the forefront of the South Korean company's devices. The two companies are in talks to preload Perplexity's app and assistant on upcoming Samsung devices and integrate the start-up's search features into the Samsung web browser, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The firms have also discussed weaving Perplexity's technology into Samsung's Bixby virtual assistant, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks are private. Samsung is planning to announce the Perplexity integrations as early as this year, the people said, with the goal of including the service as a default assistant option in the Galaxy S26 phone line that is slated to launch in the first half of 2026. However, the specific details haven't been finalised and could still change. The tech giant is also expected to be one of the biggest investors in a new round of funding for Perplexity, the people said. The start-up is in advanced discussions to raise US$500 million at a US$14 billion valuation, Bloomberg News has reported. Samsung's Galaxy S25 Edge on display at its store in Seoul, South Korea, May 13, 2025. Photo: Reuters The broad tie-up may help Samsung reduce its reliance on Alphabet's Google and pave the way for it to work with a mix of AI developers, similar to Apple's strategy for its devices and services. For Perplexity, the arrangement would mark its biggest mobile partnership to date and follows a recent integration deal with Motorola.
