Today when it comes to the Korean nuclear issue its goes without saying that it concerns North Korea. Though in most of the cases it is really the case South Korea also has its own nuclear issues. According to the Yonhap news agency, the negotiations between Washington and Seoul on prolongation of the bilateral nuclear cooperation agreement that was signed in 1974 and expires in 2014, have reached a stalemate.
Seoul and Washington are failing to agree on the reuse of nuclear fuel by South Korea.
South Korea, derives 40% of its electricity from nuclear reactors and is running out of space to store the highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel. South Korea wants to reprocess the used material independently but it is prohibited from such activities under a 1974 agreement with the United States.
Washington fears that the plutonium that results from reprocessing spent fuel can also be used to make nuclear bombs.
Washington’s fears are grounded. In the 1970-s Seoul made a serious attempt to develop its own nuclear weapon. Though now it may seem strange it South Korea not North Korea which started arms race on the Korean peninsula. Nevertheless in the late 1970s South Korea had to scale down its nuclear program under the pressure of the US.
Periodically there have been reports in media saying that South Korean engineers were experimenting with uranium and plutonium enrichment technologies. Last time it was in 2004.
Meanwhile the situation in Eastern Asia makes Washington feel anxious about the prospects of nuclear weapon proliferation in the region. Repeatedly fears were voiced that North Korean nuclear project will have a domino effect across the region.
That is why Washington can’t let Seoul process its used nuclear fuel. But without the relevant agreement with the US South Korea simply cannot properly manage its own nuclear industry.
The failure of the US and South Korea to reach the deal reminds us that nuclear weapon is getting more and more accessible. If in the past only great power could afford having its own nuclear programs now dozens of countries have the resources for developing its own nuclear weapons, while the international legal mechanisms which prevent nuclear weapon proliferation leave much to be desired.
This story first appeared on Voice of Russia & is reposted here with permission.