How the War in Iran Reshapes South Korea and Japan’s Nuclear Strategy
Iran’s failure to achieve nuclear latency has significant implications for South Korea and Japan’s thinking on their own nuclear strategy.
South Korea Mulls Nuclear Latency
Anxiety about U.S. security commitments is opening conversations in Seoul about reprocessing spent fuel from power reactors to extract plutonium or enrich uranium
Tasks Ahead for the Nuclear Consultative Group
The Washington Declaration and NCG, amid North Korean nuclear threats, embodies the expectation, promise, and blueprint of the two countries.
Quick Takeaways from the Washington Declaration
The Washington Declaration was designed to ease South Korean concerns about U.S. extended deterrence. Will it achieve its goal?
U.S.-ROK Alliance Consultative Mechanisms: Strengthening Deterrence, Providing Reassurance, Facing an Enduring Challenge
Consultative mechanisms collectively reflect the breadth and depth of ROK-U.S. security cooperation, as well as the increasingly complex strategic environment in which the alliance operates.
History’s Long Shadow: Contradictions in the U.S. Commitment to Korea
The history surrounding the U.S. commitment to South Korea, including the nuclear umbrella, is critical to understanding the alliance today.
South Korea’s Drive Toward Deterrent Capabilities
South Korea’s conventional weapons advancements are a critical variable in Seoul’s potential development of an indigenous nuclear deterrent.
Comparing Contexts: South Korea’s Potential Nuclear Armament in the 1970s & 2020s
The 1970s was a turbulent period for the U.S.-ROK alliance, including South Korea’s first attempt to develop its own nuclear weapon.
Japanese Protestation and Pragmatism Towards a Nuclear South Korea
If Korea chose to pursue a nuclear weapon, it is likely that Japan would initially signal disapproval with diplomatic and economic sanctions.
Alternative Futures: ROK Nuclear Weapons and the U.S.-ROK Alliance
A decision by South Korea to acquire its own nulcear weapons would be a shock to the U.S.-Korea alliance. How would it respond?