I am in Seoul to attend the Asan Plenum, which the Asan Institute is hosting in advance of the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul.
I am on four panels — no, that is not a typo. Buy me a drink and I will explain how that happens. I’ve already given a talk on Myanmar, with panels today on China’s nuclear weapons program, a comparative look at nuclear weapons programs in Iran and Pakistan, and engaging China and Russia on disarmament.
It has been a very interesting meeting so far. The Asan Institute for Policy Studies, which is hosting the Plenum, is extraordinarily professional and well-funded. (The Asan Institute for Public Policy is a research institution funded with the Hyundai fortune.) This makes the Carnegie International Nuclear Policy Conference look like a roundtable in a church basement.
Last night at dinner, Chung Mong Joon — scion of the Hyundai fortune and a candidate for President in South Korea (or at least his party’s nomination) — reiterated his support for redeploying US tactical nuclear weapons in South Korea. I am waiting to see if that will make the papers here or back home.
Chung’s comments are old; it was in the papers three months ago. And he’s not the first National Assembly member to express this opinion. Park Sun-young said the ROK should have its own nukes years ago.
And they’re just as crazy as they were three months ago!
What did you say about engaging China and Russia?
The talk was about engaging China and Russia on disarmament. I discussed the challenges of missile defense and conventional strike in moving to lower numbers.