[Nuclear Weapons and International Politics] On the Deterrence Strategies of the Republic of Korea
By Seok-ju Cho [Associate Professor, Kyung Hee University]
► The persistence of North Korea in enhancing its nuclear arsenal, coupled with its demonstrated ability to launch ballistic missiles underlines an imminent and formidable threat to the national security of South Korea.
► The prospect of achieving complete and verifiable denuclearization seems increasingly remote. Thus, South Korea needs to adapt its military and diplomatic strategies, acknowledging the growing possibility that North Korea's nuclear armament could become an irreversible reality at least for the near future.
► The objectives of South Korea's strategies are to minimize the chance of North Korea initiating a war, aim to decrease North Korea's expected payoff of war relative to that of the (peaceful) status quo, strengthen the U.S. extended deterrence to South Korea, and for the country to develop its own deterrence mechanism.
► South Korea's leaders should focus on actual defense and deterrence measures and refrain from unnecessarily escalating regional tensions by overly ideologizing and politicizing its security strategies.
