individual
What campus are you from?
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Brianna Johnson, Senior
Lead Presenter's Name
Brianna Johnson
Faculty Mentor Name
Dr. Dell'Era
Abstract
South Korea represents a standard case of latent nuclear power, where nuclear development is constrained by choice rather than capability. In the past, Seoul’s rhetoric surrounding nuclear capabilities has ranged from endorsement of a domestic nuclear program to a staunch commitment to nonproliferation. These shifts are shaped by both foreign and domestic factors that reflect Seoul’s broader strategic calculations. Through comparative case studies of three key periods in South Korea’s nuclear rhetoric, this paper analyzes the main factors that influence the official stance on nuclear development. The first case covers early attempts at nuclear development in the 1970s with Project 890 after the Korean War. The second analyzes the transparency approach of the Rho administration (2003-2007), and its commitment to nonproliferation and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Finally, case three focuses on the transition from the Moon to the Yoon administrations (2016-2023), identifying the factors that contributed to the reemergence of nuclear discourse. This paper argues that no single factor consistently drives South Korea's nuclear stance. Instead, the nuclear rhetoric is shaped by the combination of global cooperation initiatives, regional tensions with North Korea, international conflicts, domestic politics, and the priorities of the ruling administration. This analysis moves beyond the predominantly US-centric narrative to highlight the broader range of influences affecting Seoul’s nuclear discourse. The paper finds that nuclear proliferation is used as a foreign policy tool, reflecting both domestic political objectives and strategic responses to a shifting international order. By refining the factors that shape nuclear rhetoric into a trend, future shifts in this policy can be better understood.
Did this research project receive funding support from the Office of Undergraduate Research.
No
A Nuclear Crossroads: South Korea's Nuclear Stance and the Factors that Shape it
South Korea represents a standard case of latent nuclear power, where nuclear development is constrained by choice rather than capability. In the past, Seoul’s rhetoric surrounding nuclear capabilities has ranged from endorsement of a domestic nuclear program to a staunch commitment to nonproliferation. These shifts are shaped by both foreign and domestic factors that reflect Seoul’s broader strategic calculations. Through comparative case studies of three key periods in South Korea’s nuclear rhetoric, this paper analyzes the main factors that influence the official stance on nuclear development. The first case covers early attempts at nuclear development in the 1970s with Project 890 after the Korean War. The second analyzes the transparency approach of the Rho administration (2003-2007), and its commitment to nonproliferation and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Finally, case three focuses on the transition from the Moon to the Yoon administrations (2016-2023), identifying the factors that contributed to the reemergence of nuclear discourse. This paper argues that no single factor consistently drives South Korea's nuclear stance. Instead, the nuclear rhetoric is shaped by the combination of global cooperation initiatives, regional tensions with North Korea, international conflicts, domestic politics, and the priorities of the ruling administration. This analysis moves beyond the predominantly US-centric narrative to highlight the broader range of influences affecting Seoul’s nuclear discourse. The paper finds that nuclear proliferation is used as a foreign policy tool, reflecting both domestic political objectives and strategic responses to a shifting international order. By refining the factors that shape nuclear rhetoric into a trend, future shifts in this policy can be better understood.