Nuclear proliferation and the US national interest

June 5, 2024

SEOUL – It is shocking to see the claims raised by former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby in recent interviews with Korean media. In particular, the argument that South Korea should consider its nuclear armament is very disappointing. Although such claims have been made intermittently, this time is uncomfortable and scary because he is known to be one of the best elites in the United States who studied at Harvard College and Yale University, and one of the strong candidates for a national security adviser if former President Donald Trump wins the US presidential election in November. At first glance, his argument seems logical. However, ultimately, it is only a wrong choice that will incur huge costs and serious losses to all parties involved in peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, including the US.

Korea’s nuclear armament will destroy the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) system, which would cause a devastating blow to the national interests of the US and South Korea. The NPT is a vital means for the US, the only hegemonic power since the end of the Cold War in 1991, to maintain global hegemony. If the system collapsed, the number of countries with nuclear weapons could exceed 30 nations. A country with nuclear weapons is a potential competitor against the leadership of the US If atomic weapons are proliferated, there is a high probability that the US will lose its status as a hegemonic power. If the US fails to maintain its hegemonic position, the international order will shift to a multipolar system. The various international norms that the US has established for many decades to serve its interests in security and commerce will be altered in a way that shares interests with