The Koreas' nuclear competition: South hyping energy, North pushing weapons

The World Tribune ^ | 4/9/2010 | Donald Kirk

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak has a special agenda when he attends the nuclear security summit in Washington next Monday and Tuesday. He'll endorse anything United States President Barack Obama proposes while assuring the skeptics that South Korea's nuclear program is all for energy, not for a hidden military purpose.

With that goal in mind, South Korea was quick to endorse Obama's nuclear policy statement that specifically excludes Iran and North Korea from non-nuclear nations the U.S. would never attack with nukes. Those two miscreants, the White House explained, are "not in compliance" with the NPT, referring to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. A review of the treaty takes place at the UN in New York next month. The exclusion of Iran and North Korea will undoubtedly anger North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Il, who's likely to see the U.S. laying the groundwork for a "preemptive strike". For Lee and his aides, however, the top priority is to convince world leaders not only of South Korea's prowess but also its good faith as a nuclear power, that is a producer of nuclear energy, not nuclear weapons.

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

Ping

[TigerLikesRooster]

I think this is a message geared to both N. Korea and China. While NK cannot use nuke without severe fallout(physically and politically,) it will come as huge psychological burden and political pressure on S. Korea. So it has to be addressed, and denuclearization efforts may not be successful, unless Chia Head regime falls or NK collapses outright.

Taking a step into the direction of nuclear deterrence also make China reassess its stragety of keeping status quo, in which they figure benefits to have Kim Jong-il regime around still outweighs pushing him out.

[SevenofNine]

Does that mean Chia Pet want more money from Obama adminisation

[nw_arizona_granny]

Very interesting, thank you for pinging me.