The Debate Over South Korea's Nuclear Option

As external threats mount, 71% of South Koreans say their country should build its own nuclear weapons, according to a 2022 poll by the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations. North Korea's increasing aggression and China's expanding nuclear arsenal are among the reasons cited for the support. However, South Korea is a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and nuclear armament could anger both China and the United States, its longtime defense guarantor. Some experts say South Korea won't be acquiring nuclear weapons anytime soon.