S. Korea, India to share nuke intel on NK, Pakistan
By Kim Tae-gyu
Shivshankar Menon Indian National Security advisor
South Korea and India have established an intelligence-sharing relationship regarding proliferation activities by North Korea and Pakistan, sources said Wednesday.
This cooperative structure was discussed during a visit by Indian National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon to President Park Geun-hye at Cheong Wa Dae, Tuesday.
“Their conversation covered the expansion of defense, security and strategic cooperation between the two countries,” one source said on condition of anonymity.
It was revealed that Pakistan is suspected of providing nuclear technologies to the North, while the North has allegedly supplied the other with missile technologies.
Asked whether their cooperative stance against the North and Pakistan would include sharing intelligence, he didn’t deny it, saying that it is nothing out of the ordinary between “friendly countries.”
Meanwhile, the top Indian security official extended an invitation from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for Park to visit at a mutually convenient time.
Also covered during the conversation was a $1 trillion investment India plans to make to improve its infrastructure for the next five years. Korean firms were invited, officials said.
“Menon is one of the closest confidants of Prime Minister Singh. From him, Park could have learned something on India’s past experiences against Pakistan,” said a Seoul analyst who asked not to be named.
“In achieving our tall task of deterring Pyongyang’s nuclear maneuvers, India’s case is very significant. We have to refer to them.”
Menon positively responded, according to Park’s spokeswoman Kim Haing.
“India’s stance is clear. The vicious cycle on North Korea’s provocations and rewards for them should be stopped. We will make efforts for North Korea’s denuclearization so it will become a responsible member of the international society,” Menon was quoted as saying by Kim.
After a crushing defeat in a war with India in 1971, Pakistan started its nuclear project, which was accelerated by India’s surprise atomic test in 1974.
Despite India’s efforts to halt them, Pakistan reached its goal in the late 1990s.
Estimates on the number of nuclear warheads retained by the two rivals vary. But they are believed to have scores of warheads, respectively.
“They did talk about North Korean nuclear programs and confirmed that South Korea and India are on the same page in opposing them. But it was merely a part of many topics,” a Cheong Wa Dae official said.
“Menon was in Beijing last week to discuss some territorial issues with China and after a short stay in Seoul, he headed to Vladivostok for an annual security conference promoted by Russia,” he said.