PPP lawmaker calls for South Korea to pursue nuclear weapons or redeploy tactical nukes

People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Young-ha said Friday that South Korea must either develop its own nuclear weapons or consider redeploying tactical nuclear arms on the Korean Peninsula.

In a Facebook post, Yoo said North Korea has already succeeded in miniaturizing nuclear warheads, and that its 600-millimeter multiple rocket launchers — with a range of 400 kilometers — can reach all of South Korea if fired from near the demilitarized zone. "I am deeply worried about whether we can detect and intercept a nuclear warhead launched from such a rocket launcher in advance," he said.

He added that national defense cannot be maintained through words alone. "What matters is making the adversary recognize that we are stronger than they are," he said. "Only a strong deterrent can prevent North Korean provocations."

Yoo went on to say South Korea must make a decisive choice. "We need to either acquire nuclear weapons ourselves or, at a minimum, consider redeploying tactical nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula — we cannot rely solely on the goodwill of our enemies," he said. "The time has come for us to make that decision."