[Annotated] North Korea's nuclear test has left the South wanting nukes too

It may settle for^[각주:1] more powerful conventional arms instead

The runaways pace of^[각주:2] North Korea's nuclear development has confounded predictions^[각주:3] and diverted the attention of^[각주:4] world leaders. It is also meddling with^[각주:5] one North Korean grandmother's retirement plans. Ri Chun Hee, a veteran^[각주:6] broadcaster at Korean Central Television, was promised a rest in 2012, after 41 years gleefully^[각주:7] reading out^[각주:8] propaganda. The 74-year-old would only return for significant announcements. Yet these now come most weeks. North Korea has already tested 22 missiles this year. On September 3rd Mrs Ri was back, claiming the regime had tested a hydrogen bomb. It was, she declared with trademark exuberance^[각주:9], the "perfect" explosion. 

Mrs Ri is not the only cold war relic that could be put back into service as a result of the test. Some South Koreans want America to show its support by moving nuclear weapons back to their country. The White House put 950 of them there after the Korean war, but withdrew them in 1991. Soon afterwards^[각주:10] both Koreas agreed to keep nuclear weapons off^[각주:11] the peninsula. But the North has long flouted the deal^[각주:12], testing its first bomb 11 years ago. Liberty Korea, the South's biggest opposition party^[각주:13], called in August for the weapons to be redeployed^[각주:14]. Hong Joon-pyo, its leader, reiterated the demand^[각주:15] two days after the latest test.

South Koreans are growing less certain that they can entrust their security to^[각주:16] America. A poll by the Pew Research Center in June found that 78% of South Koreans have no confidence in^[각주:17] Donald Trump to "do the right thing" in world affairs. His response to^[각주:18] the latest test will have done little to assuage these fears^[각주:19]. James Mattis, his defence secretary^[각주:20], warned Mr Kim that a threat to America or its allies would prompt^[각주:21] "a massive^[각주:22] military response^[각주:23]". But Mr Trump, who had earlier mused about^[각주:24] ditching^[각주:25] a free-trade agreement with^[각주:26] South Korea, chose instead to criticize Moon Jae-in, the South's president, who has called for talks with the North. "South Korea is finding, as I have told them, that their talk of appeasement with^[각주:27] North Korea will not work," he tweeted. For Mark Fitzpatrick of the International Institute for Strategic Studies^[각주:28], a think-tank, "that was exactly the wrong response."

Not fickle^[각주:29], but fissile^[각주:30] 

Mr Hong argues that redeploying nuclear weapons would be proof of America's will to defend the South. Several conservative newspapers have endorsed the notion^[각주:31]. One big one, Joongang Ilbo, said the move would "raise our trust in the United States". A poll in August found that only 27% of South Koreans favor^[각주:32] keeping their country nuclear-free. On September 4th Song Young-moo, the defence minister, said asking for the weapons was "one alternative" that should be reviewed. He mentioned public demand for^[각주:33] the idea in a recent meeting with Mr Mattis.

Another option is for South Korea to acquire its own nuclear weapons. It tried this twice in the 1970s but was pressed by America to stop. Experts believe it could have its own bomb within three years if it chose to do so. Most South Koreans have been keen on the idea^[각주:34] for two decades. Another paper, Chosun Ilbo, said the government must consider it: "A nuclear threat must be met with a nuclear deterrent^[각주:35]. There is no other option."

Yet South Korea will probably remain nuclear-free. Making its own bombs could jeopardize the alliance with^[각주:36] America and risk sanctions for violating the nuclear non-proliferation treaty of^[각주:37] 1968. Mr Moon and his party continue to oppose asking^[각주:38] the Americans for some of theirs. Even if they change their minds, American generals are unlikely to back such a scheme. 

America has plenty of nuclear weapons capable of striking the North from submarines, bases on Guam or even the American mainland. Putting them in the South would antagonize^[각주:39] China and Russia just as America is trying to enlist their help^[각주:40] to press the North to abandon its drive for^[각주:41] long-range^[각주:42] nuclear weapons. This week at the United Nations, America circulated a resolution that^[각주:43] would bar exports of^[각주:44] oil to North Korea, most of which come from China, and which is the one plausible^[각주:45] means left to rein in the North. "From an American perspective, it [deploying nuclear weapons in the South] is unnecessary and dangerous," says David Straub, a former American diplomat now at the Sejong Institute, another think-tank. 

Mr Moon is far more likely to boost conventional defences. He has reversed his earlier opposition to^[각주:46] THAAD, an American anti-missile system^[각주:47]. Four more launchers were installed soon after the latest test. Mr Moon has also persuaded Mr Trump to lift a limit on^[각주:48] the range and payload of^[각주:49] its (non-nuclear) missiles, allowing the South's army to deploy more powerful ones, eg,^[각주:50] about to destroy bunkers.

"Kim Jong Un must not be allowed to sleep easy," cried Chosun Ilbo, referring to the North's leader. Mr Moon hopes to persuade South Koreans that they, at any rate, still can. That should be relatively easy. By mid-week^[각주:51] a qualifying^[각주:52] match for the football World Cup had bumped^[각주:53] North Korea from the top three search terms on^[각주:54] Naver, South Korea's answer to Google. Passers-by^[각주:55] in Gwanghwamun, a square in the center of Seoul, were not fretting about^[각주:56] an imminent^[각주:57] apocalypse^[각주:58]. Asked to judge the current atmosphere^[각주:59] in the capital, a middle-aged^[각주:60] man replied, "The pollution isn't as bad these days."

1. settle for ; (꼭 원하는 것은 아니지만) ~에 만족하다, [명사] …으로 만족하다, …을 (불만스럽지만) 받아들이다. ;; 동의어 ; be satisfied with, accept. [본문으로]
2. runaway ; 2. (동물・차량이) 제멋대로 가는, 제어가 안 되는, 고삐 풀린 [본문으로]
3. confound ; 2. …이 틀렸음을 입증하다 [본문으로]
4. divert attention ; 주의를 돌리다, 관심을 딴 곳으로 돌리다 [본문으로]
5. meddle with[in] ; [동사] …에 간섭하다, 참견하다. ;; 동의어 ; interfere; intrude. [본문으로]
6. veteran ; 1. (어떤 분야의) 베테랑[전문가] ;; US.UK [|vetərən] [본문으로]
7. gleefully ; [부사] 유쾌하게. [본문으로]
8. read out ; ~을 소리내어 읽다[읽어 주다] [본문으로]
9. exuberance ; [명사] [U] 풍부, 충일(充溢); 무성함, 윤택 ;; 흐름상 북한 앵커특유의 과장된 억양을 의미 [본문으로]
10. soon afterwards ; 이내, 머지않아 [본문으로]
11. keep ... off ; [VERB] to stay or cause to stay at a distance (from) [본문으로]
12. flout ; [타동사][VN] (법 등을 공공연히) 어기다[무시하다] [본문으로]
13. opposition party ; [명사] 야당. [본문으로]
14. redeploy ; [타동사][VN] ~ sb/sth (to sth) 재배치[이동]시키다 [본문으로]
15. reiterate ; [동사] (격식) (이미 한 말을, 특히 강조하기 위해) 반복하다[되풀이하다] [본문으로]
16. entrust ; [타동사][VN] ~ A (to B) | ~ B with A (일을) 맡기다 [본문으로]
17. confidence ; 1. BELIEF IN OTHERS | [U] ~ (in sb/sth) 신뢰 ;; 참고 ; vote of confidence, vote of no confidence [본문으로]
18. a response to ; …에 대한 반응[응답]. [본문으로]
19. assuage ; [타동사][VN] (격식) (안 좋은 감정을) 누그러뜨리다[달래다] ;; US.UK [ə|sweɪdƷ] [본문으로]
20. defence secretary ; 국방부 장관 [본문으로]
21. prompt ; 1. (사람에게 어떤 결정을 내리도록・어떤 일이 일어나도록) 하다[촉발하다] [본문으로]
22. massive ; 2. 엄청나게 큰[심각한] [본문으로]
23. military response ; 군사적 대응 [본문으로]
24. muse about ; …을 숙고하다. [본문으로]
25. ditch ; 1. [타동사][VN] (비격식) (더 이상 원치 않거나 불필요한 것을) 버리다; (교제하던 사람을) 차 버리다 [본문으로]
26. free-trade agreement ; 자유무역협정 [본문으로]
27. appeasement ; [명사] [CU/] 달램, 진정, 완화, 양보; [U] 유화 정책 [본문으로]
28. the International Institute for Strategic Studies ; (영) [the ~] 국제 전략 연구소 ((略 IISS)) [본문으로]
29. fickle ; (영) [the ~] 국제 전략 연구소 ((略 IISS)) [본문으로]
30. fissile ; [형용사] (물리) 핵분열성의 ;; US [|fɪsl] UK [|fɪsaɪl] [본문으로]
31. endorse ; 1. (공개적으로) 지지하다 [본문으로]
32. favor ; 1. <계획·제안 등에> 호의를 보이다, 찬성하다 [본문으로]
33. public demand ; (법률) 공공수요(公共需要) [본문으로]
34. be keen on ; ~에 관심이 많다, 열심이다 [본문으로]
35. nuclear deterrent ; 핵 억지력 [본문으로]
36. jeopardize ; [타동사][VN] (격식) 위태롭게 하다 [본문으로]
37. Nonproliferation treaty ; [명사] 핵(무기) 확산 방지 조약(NPT). [본문으로]
38. oppose ; 1. (계획・정책 등에) 반대하다 ;; 참고 ; propose [본문으로]
39. antagonize ; [타동사][VN] 적대감을 불러일으키다 [본문으로]
40. enlist ; 1. ~ sth/sb (in sth) | ~ sb (as sth) (협조・참여를) 요청하(여 얻)다 [본문으로]
41. drive ; 5. DESIRE/ENERGY | [C , U] 충동, 욕구 [본문으로]
42. long-range ; [명사 앞에만 씀] 1. 장거리를 가는 [본문으로]
43. circulate ; 3. [타동사][VN] ~ sth (to sb) (단체의 모든 사람들에게) ~을 돌리다[알리다] [본문으로]
44. bar ; 3. [타동사][VN] ~ sth (to sb) (단체의 모든 사람들에게) ~을 돌리다[알리다] [본문으로]
45. plausible ; 1. (변명・해명・설명이) 타당한 것 같은, 이치에 맞는, 그럴듯한 [본문으로]
46. reverse ; 2. CHANGE TO OPPOSITE | [타동사][VN] (결정 등을) 뒤집다 [본문으로]
47. anti-missile system ; (군사) 미사일방어시스템 [본문으로]
48. lift ; 4. REMOVE LAW/RULE | [타동사][VN] (제재를) 풀다[해제/폐지하다] [본문으로]
49. payload ; (전문 용어) 1. 삯짐, 유상하중(배나 비행기의 유료 승객과 화물) 2. (트럭 등의) 탑재 화물[탑재량] 3. (폭탄・미사일의) 폭발력 4. (우주선・인공위성의) 탑재 장비 [본문으로]
50. eg ; [약어] 예를 들어(라틴어 exempli gratia를 줄인 것. for example로 읽음) [본문으로]
51. mid-week ; [형용사] 주중의 [본문으로]
52. qualifying ; 1. 자격을 주는 [본문으로]
53. bump ; 4. [타동사][VN + adv. / prep.] (다른 무리나 자리로) 이동시키다; (무리에서) 쫓아내다 [본문으로]
54. search term ; 검색어 [본문으로]
55. passer-by ; (pl. passers-by) 행인(특히 예상밖의 일이 일어나던 순간에 지나던 사람) [본문으로]
56. fret about ; …에 대해 초조해하다. [본문으로]
57. imminent ; [형용사] 특히 불쾌한 일이 금방이라도 닥칠 듯한, 목전의, 임박한 [본문으로]
58. apocalypse ; 3. [sing.] 대재앙 [본문으로]
59. current atmosphere ; 현재 분위기 [본문으로]
60. middle-aged ; 1. (사람이) 중년의 2. [pl.] the middle aged 중년인 사람들 3. (못마땅함) (사람의 태도・행동이) 약간 따분한[구식인] [본문으로]