Limited Leverage: Nuclear Latency in South Korea’s Alliance Bargaining
Ankit Panda & Tristan A. Volpe | The Washington Quarterly
But how much bargaining leverage does Seoul actually have over Washington?
President Yoon’s proliferation threat was difficult to dismiss as an empty bluff:
South Korea possesses almost everything it needs to field nuclear forces, from a
world-class nuclear energy enterprise to multiple missile systems capable of delivering nuclear warheads. Crucially, however, Seoul lacks the capacity to make the fissile
material—highly enriched uranium or plutonium—that fuels the explosive core of an
atomic weapon.4 Without this critical capability, South Korea cannot credibly threaten
to build the bomb
Iran Closed Nuclear Facilities In Wake Of Israel Attack: IAEA Chief
Barron’s
Iran temporarily closed its nuclear facilities over "security considerations" in the wake of its massive missile and drone attack on Israel over the weekend, the head of the UN's atomic watchdog said Monday. Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a UN Security Council meeting, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi was asked whether he was concerned about the possibility of an Israeli strike on an Iranian nuclear facility in retaliation for the attack. "We are always concerned about this possibility. What I can tell you is that our inspectors in Iran were informed by the Iranian government that yesterday (Sunday), all the nuclear facilities that we are inspecting every day would remain closed on security considerations," he said.
AUKUS Sub Design Deemed ‘Mature’ as Nations Debate Top Technologies
Megan Eckstein | Defense News
The new attack submarine design the United Kingdom and Australia will share through the AUKUS trilateral arrangement is in a “mature” state and will be finalized in the next year or two, leaders said this month. The third phase of the AUKUS submarine deal centers around Australia and the U.K designing, building and operating their own SSN-AUKUS attack subs, which will leverage American technology.
Lockheed Beats Northrop for $17 Billion US Interceptor Deal
Anthony Capaccio | Bloomberg
Lockheed Martin Corp. beat rival Northrop Grumman Corp. in a $17 billion contest to continue development and eventual production of a new warhead to replace the current ones used on US missile interceptors in California and Alaska, according to the US Missile Defense Agency. The system in California and Alaska is aimed at fending off an intercontinental ballistic missile fired by an adversary such as North Korea. It isn’t designed to stop waves of missiles that could be fired by China or Russia.
South Korea, US plan exercises against North Korea nuclear use scenario
Kim Arin | The Korea Herald
South Korea and the US have agreed to hold tabletop exercises that simulate North Korea’s nuclear weapons use to strengthen a joint response. According to the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul on Friday, the two countries confirmed the plans at the 24th Korea-US Integrated Defense Consultative Group held in Washington on Thursday…The TTX, which reflects a scenario of North Korea using nuclear weapons, was agreed upon at the last meeting of the bilateral Nuclear Consultative Group