A majority of South Koreans support the idea of developing nuclear weapons or redeploying US atomic bombs to cope with the threat from North Korea, according to a survey published on Wednesday.

The survey, conducted by the private Asan Institute for Policy Studies, found that 68.6 percent said South Korea needs atomic bombs, while 28.9 percent replied negatively.

Some 67.3 percent supported the redeployment of US nuclear weapons in South Korea while 30.1 percent opposed it, the institute said in a telephone poll of 1,000 people.

South Korea has no nuclear weapons, but some conservative politicians have been calling for an independent nuclear programme or the return of US atomic weapons in the face of what they call the North's repeated provocations.

The United States withdrew its atomic weapons from the South in 1991, a year before the two Koreas signed a denuclearisation deal.

During his trip to Seoul on March 2, Robert Einhorn, the State Department's special adviser for nonproliferation and arms control, ruled out the possibility of US tactical nuclear weapons being redeployed in the South.

Pyongyang triggered security fears last November when it disclosed an apparently functional uranium enrichment plant to visiting US experts.

The North said it was a peaceful energy project, but experts said the facility could hand Pyongyang a second route to making atomic bombs in addition to its existing plutonium stockpile.

Six-party disarmament talks have been deadlocked since Pyongyang walked out in April 2009 in protest at UN condemnation of an apparent missile test. The hardline state staged its second nuclear test the following month.

earlier related report
S. Korea announces major live-fire drills
Seoul (AFP) March 23, 2011 - Seoul said Wednesday its military would launch major live-fire drills this week to mark the first anniversary of the sinking of a South Korean warship near its border with the North.

South Korean jet fighters and artillery units will stage a joint exercise on Thursday near the tense land border with North Korea, the defence ministry said.

The exercise at Pocheon, 30 kilometres (20 miles) north of Seoul, will be followed by massive naval firing training on Saturday, it said.

The South started a week-long sea exercise from Monday in a show of strength marking the first anniversary of its warship sinking on March 26 last year near the disputed Yellow Sea border, a ministry spokesman said.

The South accused the North of torpedoing the ship with the loss of 46 lives. Pyongyang denies the charge.

Newspapers said South Korean warships and aircraft would be mobilised for three-day training from Friday to simulate attacks by North Korean submarines, ships and jet fighters.

The state-run Korea Hydrographic and Oceangraphic Administration has issued a warning for civilian ships that naval firing drills will be held on Saturday at three locations off the peninsula.

It also warned of more offshore firing drills any time between March 28 and April 1.

The South, which has remained technically at war with its nuclear-armed neighbour since their conflict 60 years ago, says its drills are defensive.

But tensions between the two nations have risen since the North shelled a border island on November 23, killing four people.

US and South Korean troops launched their annual Key Resolve/Foal Eagle drills on February 28. They completed computerised war games on March 10, but joint field training will continue throughout March and April.

The two exercises, denounced by North Korea as a rehearsal for invasion, involve a total of 12,300 US troops and some 200,000 South Korean service members including reservists.

From Tuesday, the allies have been staging a three-day sea exercise to improve their ability to move large amounts of military equipment and supplies without a fixed port.

Twenty-four ships and amphibious vehicles are taking part in the drill, the first of its kind in the Yellow Sea, the defence ministry said.

South Korean officials and civilian groups are holding various memorial events this week.

A group of North Korean defectors will launch propaganda leaflets on Friday or Saturday from a frontier island, despite Pyongyang's threats to open fire with artillery in retaliation for pamphlet distribution.

They plan to fly some 200,000 leaflets containing news of Arab uprisings and calling for the overthrow of the North's regime.

The South's military has also reportedly sent leaflets with news of the Middle East revolts.