Moon rules out nuclear armament
President Moon Jae-in has ruled out the possibility of South Korea developing or stockpiling nuclear weapons, saying he is seeking a denuclearized Korean Peninsula.
In an address to the National Assembly, Wednesday, the President renewed his determination to pursue peace on the peninsula, pledging to resolve North Korea’s nuclear and missile issues peacefully.
His remarks come as the main conservative Liberty Korea Party is calling for the redeployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons here as a deterrence against the North’s missile threats.
“The Korean Peninsula is where our people live and will live. It should be safe, and it should be peaceful. This is a duty which the Constitution imposes on a South Korean President,” Moon said in his second speech to the Assembly.
He said his administration is dealing with the issue with firm and consistent principles — resolving the nuclear crisis peacefully through denuclearization of the peninsula but also sternly responding to the North’s provocations.
“A nuclear-armed North Korea is neither acceptable nor tolerable according to the joint declaration on the denuclearization of the peninsula. South Korea will not develop or possess nuclear weapons as well,” Moon said.
The President said military conflict cannot be allowed and any actions on the peninsula without Seoul’s prior consent cannot happen. “Sanctions and pressure are the means to lead Pyongyang to the right choice and negotiations. The international community, including the U.S., agrees on this principle.”
He said Seoul would take the leading role in resolving the issue. “We’ll respond to North Korea’s provocations sternly. For that, we’ll secure overwhelming superiority of power. We’ll also cooperate with the international community actively based on the strong South Korea-U.S. alliance.”
The President called on legislative cooperation for his North Korea policy.
Moon also raised the issue of a constitutional revision to empower regional governments and expand citizens’ basic rights, which was an election campaign pledge.
“I believe it desirable to hold a referendum on a constitutional revision in tandem with local elections next year. If we miss that opportunity, it will not be easy to collect public opinion for the revision. I ask the Assembly to discuss the issue for a referendum in time for the local elections,” he said.
Moon also pledged to root out unfairness and privilege in all sectors of society, saying changing society to give fair and equal opportunities to every person is what he calls the “eradication of deep-rooted evils.”
For that, he said the government is moving to reform powerful bodies such as the National Intelligence Service and the prosecution; to establish a separate investigative body for corruption of the presidential family, aides and high-ranking public officials; and to eradicate illegal hiring practices at public firms.
He said his economic policy is in line with those efforts to root out unfairness. Moon said under the current structure, household income decreases and economic inequality grows even though the economy is growing, adding economic polarization prevents growth and national unity.