US must end double standard on Korea's nuclear fuel rights

The United States' willingness to permit Saudi Arabia to pursue domestic uranium enrichment for civilian nuclear power has exposed an inconsistency in Washington's nonproliferation policy that is becoming increasingly difficult to justify.

Although the arrangement was thrown into doubt just a day after it was announced, after U.S.

President Donald Trump on Thursday said that any nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia would ultimately depend on Riyadh recognizing Israel, the administration has already crossed an important policy threshold.

It has demonstrated that Washington is prepared, under certain circumstances, to reconsider its long-standing opposition to uranium enrichment by additional partner countries.

If Saudi Arabia — with its comparatively weaker nonproliferation credentials — can even be considered for such a right, there is no credible reason why Korea, one of America's closest allies and among the world's most responsible nuclear states, should continue to face restrictions imposed more than half a century ago.

This is not merely a question of fairness.

It is a matter of ...