earticle

영어

North Korea announced that it succeeded to level-up its nuclear capabilities to mount nuclear weapons on the missiles, just after its third nuclear test on February 12, 2013. It is worried that any future military confrontation between South Korea and North Korea could be escalated into North Korean nuclear missile attack in the worst scenario. If North Korea threatens to attack with nuclear weapons, the only effective and feasible option for South Korea at this point would be to destroy North Korean nuclear missile sites or launchers on the ground before the actual attack. Because, the South Korea's effort to deter North Korean attack by the threat of massive retaliation with its non-nuclear weapons will not work and South Korean missile defense is not ready to hit-to-kill attacking North Korean nuclear missiles in the air. South Korea should discuss on the preemptive strike option as a very rational one against North Korean nuclear missile threat, because it cannot allow nuclear missile attack without any preemptive measure. It should review the possible scenarios for the preemptive strike, specific courses of action for the various scenarios and be ready for the success of the preemptive strike when it is ordered.