SEOUL, September 9. /TASS/. The recently adopted law on nuclear forces gives the DPRK many reasons to choose from to justify a pre-emptive strike against the enemy, Professor Andrey Lankov, of South Korea’s Kookmin University, an expert of the international discussion club Valdai, told TASS on Friday.
The DPRK’s Supreme People's Assembly met in regular session on September 7-8 to adopt a new nuclear forces policy law, which asserted the concept of a pre-emptive strike.
"The document is of interest first and foremost because it provides many formal and broadly interpretable reasons for being the first to use nuclear weapons. In this respect, it is unusual," said the professor.
"If, in the opinion of the military or political leadership, the enemy is ready to attack or to use nuclear weapons, the DPRK reserves the right to strike first. This means that, theoretically, the DPRK can strike when it deems right and at the target it finds appropriate," Lankov explained. He pointed out that the DPRK mentioned the possibility of using nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states, if they are in alliance with nuclear powers. Because of their alliance with Washington both South Korea and Japan have become legitimate targets," he concluded.
In addition, "very few of the other nuclear powers have formulated the concept of a pre-emptive nuclear strike in such a frank way," Lankov remarked.
Under the new law, Pyongyang can use nuclear weapons in the event of an attack on the DPRK with nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction, as well as if the authorities have come to the conclusion that the threat of such an attack is imminent. Or if the state leadership and military command are attacked, including with non-nuclear weapons. The law makes it possible to launch nuclear missiles to prevent a prolongation or escalation of hostilities and to seize initiative. Or in "other emergencies" of a threat to the existence of the country and the safety of the population, "when there is no way out other than the use of nuclear weapons."
Message to US, South Korea; their possible reaction
Lankov sees the adoption of this law is "a symbolic act emphasizing the hard fact the DPRK has become a nuclear power and is not going to change this." The DPRK’s Constitution does contains provisions regarding the nuclear status, but "another backup resource" will not be redundant, he explained.
During a speech at the Supreme People's Assembly, the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, said that Pyongyang would never give up nuclear weapons in the light of the threat from the United States. The new law makes negotiations on denuclearization impossible. Lankov believes that Seoul and Washington will prefer to pretend that they have not noticed this statement. On Friday, an official of South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said that the country’s stance regarding the need for the DPRK’s nuclearization remained unchanged regardless of Kim’s words.
The DPRK leader's statement will become an "additional obstacle" on the way to talks between Washington and Pyongyang. Also, it reduces the likelihood of such talks in the near future, Lankov believes. At this stage, in fact, only control of Pyongyang's weapons, and not complete renunciation of nuclear weapons, might be the subject of discussion.
In turn, the US administration is forced to try to persuade the public at large that any contact with the DPRK pursues the aim of its complete denuclearization. Otherwise, it will come under fire from the political opponents and the media. The North Korean leader's "unambiguous statement" will make life harder for the US officials responsible for the Korean foreign policy track, Lankov concluded.