S. Korean defense chief reaffirms denuclearization of Korean Peninsula

SEOUL, July 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's defense minister on Sunday countered a
claim by some conservatives here that the country should have nuclear weapons to
deter nuclear-armed North Korea.
"The government has constantly pushed for the denuclearization of the Korean
Peninsula since joining the Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1975 and will continue to
do so," Lee Sang-hee said in an interview with state-owned broadcaster KTV. "The
denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula should be maintained."
Some right-leaning politicians and other conservatives have called for Seoul to
obtain "nuclear sovereignty" especially since the communist neighbor conducted a
second nuclear test on May 25. Analysts said the underground experiment yielded a
far more powerful explosion than the previous one in October 2006, indicating the
North's nuclear weapons technology has improved significantly.
Pyongyang has made clear that it has no intention of abandoning its nuclear weapons.
The defense minister also called for a cautious approach towards demands for the
redeployment of the U.S. military's tactical nuclear weapons.
Washington withdrew its tactical nuclear weapons from the peninsula in 1991.
"Some people say that nuclear weapons should be redeployed on the Korean
Peninsula but we should think carefully about it," Lee said.
He pointed out that South Korea can thwart the North's nuclear provocations with
the help of an "extended nuclear umbrella" provided by the U.S.
In his summit with President Lee Myung-bak in Washington last month, U.S.
President Barack Obama reaffirmed in writing his country's commitment to
providing an "extended nuclear umbrella" for South Korea in response to
increasing nuclear threats from the North. It was the first time for the allies'
leaders to make the commitment, though U.S. defense ministers have promised since
1978 to offer necessary nuclear deterrence capabilities to South Korea.
"One thing is certain," the defense chief said, "and that is that South Korea and
the U.S. have the joint defense capability to deter North Korea and are in a
position to win any war against it through our joint operation system."
He acknowledged that the North has 300 to 400 long-rang artillery missiles that
are able to hit targets in Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi Province, adding that all of
them are buried in underground tunnels, but said the weapons would be rendered
useless if the entrances to the tunnels are destroyed.
He also said that South Korea's K-9 self-propelled howitzer and multiple launch
rocket launchers are aimed at North Korea's main military facilities, adding that
"Pyongyang is only 150km away."
The remark alluded to the North's often repeated threat that "Seoul is only 50km
away and it will be turned into ashes immediately in case of a war."
With regard to the timing of the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON)
of South Korean troops from Washington, Lee said it should be implemented as
scheduled on April 17, 2012.
South Korea handed over its military command to the U.S. shortly after the
outbreak of the Korean War in 1950. It regained peaceful OPCON in 1994.
Conservatives argue it is premature for South Korea to regain wartime OPCON.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)