The New York Times reported Sunday that South Korea's acknowledgement of an uranium enrichment experiment may have been calculated to counter the Unites States' move to slash its military forces stationed on Korean soil.
Citing an analysis by a Japanese military expert, the paper said the timing of the Seoul's acknowledgement may well be connected to the Bush administration's plan to reduce one third of US troops in South Korea by next spring.
Also on Sunday, a U.S expert on Korean affairs brushed off concerns that Seoul's nuclear revelation may complicate efforts to resolve Pyongyang's nuclear issue.
In an interview with Japan's Asahi Shimbun, Don Oberdorfer, a professor at Johns Hopkins University and author of 'The Two Koreas' said the impact of Seoul's statement will be "limited" on the six-party talks.
However, he voiced concerns that Pyongyang may try to take advantage of the situation.
On Thursday, South Korea admitted that some of its scientists conducted an unauthorized one-off experiment in 2000 that separated 0.2 gram of uranium.
Though Seoul officials categorically insisted it was an academic activity and the enriched uranium was far below bomb-grade, speculations of Seoul's intent have been spiraling out of control.