Nuclear nonproliferation is one of America's greatest and most underrated strategic achievements. Nearly 80 years after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, fewer than 10 countries still possess the world's most deadly weapons, a testament to international cooperation and American strength. During a recent trip to Seoul to participate in the annual Culture Future Report hosted by the Munhwa Ilbo, I got a glimpse into what makes the nonproliferation regime so resilient and what could ultimately bring it down.
Nuclear weapons are clearly a concern for the entire South Korean public. In last year's Washington Declaration by President Joe Biden and Yoon Seok-youl, the United States committed to a close partnership with South Korea in preparation for the possible use of nuclear weapons in wartime. Analysts and politicians are now debating whether South Korea should return U.S. tactical nuclear weapons to the Korean peninsula for the first time in nearly three decades. Opinion polls show that a majority of South Koreans want their country to build nuclear weapons.
