A prominent former South Korean lawmaker on Monday called for the creation of an Asian version of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and suggested considering the redeployment of US tactical nuclear weapons to South Korea to enhance regional security.
Chung Mong-joon, a seven-term conservative politician and honorary chairman of the Seoul-based Asan Institute of Policy Studies, made the remarks, citing the growing security challenges posed by North Korea's nuclear missile threats and the military expansionism of Russia and China.
"South Korea is close to God but too close to China, too close to Russia, and too far from the US, and it is a big problem," Chung said in a speech during an event at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in Washington.
Chung quoted the famous phrase, "Poor Mexico, so far from God, so close to the US," attributed to 19th century Mexican dictator Porfirio Diaz, who used it to describe the challenges his country faced at the time from its powerful neighbor.
"The United States and its allies and partners need to show credible resolve to deter North Korean, Chinese and Russian military adventurism," Chung said. "We need an Asian version of NATO."
Chung suggested naming the group the "Indo-Pacific Treaty Organization."
Chung said it was "not convincing" that the US has kept its tactical nuclear weapons away from the Korean Peninsula, where the security situation is "more severe" than in Europe, despite maintaining around 100 such weapons there.
"The redeployment of some of these weapons to the bases in South Korea needs to be considered," he said.
Chung went on to suggest that the US and its treaty allies, like South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines and Thailand, should strengthen minilateral security cooperation, as well as with partners like India and Indonesia.
"This is not about containment or regime change of a sovereign state. It is about ensuring that the sovereignty of all countries in the Indo-Pacific is respected so that we can live free from coercion," Chung said.
"It will ensure that we can continue to co-exist, maintain economic relations and avoid all-out war," he said.
Chung, who led the major South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries, said South Korea has "much to contribute," regarding US President Donald Trump's interest in cooperating with Seoul on shipbuilding.
Monday's event was held as SAIS established a distinguished chair in security studies in Chung's name, funded by his $7.5 million donation. Chung is a SAIS graduate. (Yonhap)
