Michael Flynn, the first national security adviser in President Donald Trump’s first administration, said Wednesday that while South Korea may want to develop nuclear capabilities, doing so would be “a dangerous idea,” expressing opposition to growing domestic support for an independent nuclear arsenal in response to North Korea’s advancing nuclear program.
Speaking at a forum hosted by the Korea-U.S. Alliance Foundation in Seoul, Flynn made the remarks in response to a question about deterrence against North Korea’s nuclear threat.
According to a survey conducted in May by South Korean monthly magazine Sasanggye involving 1,000 adults, 83% of respondents said they generally support South Korea developing its own nuclear weapons, including 40.4% who strongly agreed and 43.1% who somewhat agreed.
Flynn said nuclear threats have emerged not only from North Korea but also from Iran, Syria, and Pakistan, adding that the international community has learned that nuclear weapons do not guarantee security. He argued that South Korea acquiring nuclear weapons would only heighten tensions between nations.
He added that establishing nuclear deterrence is not something that can be achieved overnight. While the traditional U.S. nuclear umbrella may not deliver everything South Korea seeks, he said remaining under the U.S. extended deterrence framework would be the better long-term option.
On the prospects for another U.S.-North Korea summit, Flynn said he believes President Trump could meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un because Trump values personal relationships and prefers direct dialogue. If such a meeting takes place, Flynn said the nuclear issue would likely be the central agenda.
At the same time, Flynn claimed Kim has health problems and suggested the Kim family dynasty could come to an end in the not-too-distant future. He described North Korea as a dynastic system rather than a state governed by the rule of law.
Addressing the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON), Flynn said such a decision should not be made abruptly. He warned that adversaries would seek to exploit any period of perceived weakness and stressed the importance of carefully considering the phased changes and consequences of such a transition through continued joint training and exercises.
He added that he recognizes South Korea’s careful approach to major security decisions but cautioned that wartime conditions differ fundamentally from peacetime. Drawing on his military experience, Flynn said war is inherently unequal and warned against complacency.
Flynn was appointed as the first national security adviser of the first Trump administration in 2017. He resigned after just over 20 days in office following allegations that, before Trump’s inauguration, he held multiple conversations with Russian government officials and discussed U.S. sanctions on Russia.