South Korea

Country Spotlight

Since the Korean War, South Korea has maintained a bilateral security alliance with the United States which includes extended nuclear deterrence and cooperation on missile defense. After abandoning its nuclear weapons development in the 1970s, South Korea has sought to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula diplomatically.

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Region East Asia and the Pacific

29% Country’s electricity supplied by nuclear energy

~600 Metric tons of chemical warfare agents eliminated

3,000 km Range of Hyunmoo-V ballistic missile

Nuclear

Abandoned nuclear weapons ambitions after U.S. pressure in the 1970s
Signed Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in 1992
Major supplier of civilian nuclear expertise and technology

Biological

Committed to defensive research and development against biological weapons
Rapid infrastructural response to public health emergencies
Had a 5-year collaboration with the US to train for biological outbreaks

Missile

Possesses ballistic and cruise missile development programs
U.S.-imposed ballistic missile range (800 km) restrictions lifted in 2021
Only non-nuclear weapon state with submarine-launched ballistic missiles

Chemical

No public acknowledgement of Cold War-era chemical weapons program
Member of the Australia Group (AG) for chemical and biological strategic trade
Second Chemical Weapons Convention member to eliminate entire stockpile

Treaties and Regimes Memberships

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NPT

The NPT is a treaty aimed at limiting the spread of nuclear weapons through the three pillars of non-proliferation, disarmament, and peaceful use of nuclear energy.

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Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)

The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty bans all nuclear explosion tests on Earth. It needs eight key countries to ratify before entry into force.

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Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)

The BTWC mandates the elimination of existing biological weapons and prohibits developing, stockpiling, or using biological and toxin weapons.

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Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC)

The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) requires countries to destroy all chemical weapons and prohibits developing, stockpiling, or using chemical weapons.

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