South Korea considers return of US tactical weapons

The "Possibility" that U.S. Nukes could be deployed.





Guardian.co.UK.
South Korea's defence minister today raised the possibility that US nuclear weapons could be deployed in his country for the first time in nearly 20 years, after it was revealed that Pyongyang had built an advanced uranium enrichment plant.

Kim Tae-young was speaking to a parliamentary committee about the North Korea plant, when he was asked whether the government would consider the return of US tactical weapons for the first time since they were withdrawn by President George Bush Sr in 1991.

He replied that the matter would be "reviewed" by a joint US-Korean committee on deterrence set up last month. His remarks drew attention as the issue has been treated as taboo in the highly-charged atmosphere of the Korean peninsular.

Korean government officials were anxious to play down the significance of his comments, and insisted the taboo remained in place. A Korean defence ministry statement said the redeployment of nuclear weapons had not so far been raised. The Pentagon said there were no immediate plans to redeploy nuclear weapons in South Korea.