Korea has made new progress in developing its own nuclear-powered submarine, but the South Korean side was a bit confused, unsure whether it was a misunderstanding or if Trump had taken the opportunity to "extort" them. President Yoon Suk-yeol previously asked Trump to help obtain permission for the supply of nuclear fuel, so that South Korea could build a conventional weapons-equipped nuclear-powered submarine. As a result, the next day, US President Trump stated that he had "approved" the construction of a nuclear-powered submarine in the Philadelphia Shipyard in the United States. This outcome left the South Korean side somewhat stunned.

After considering for several days, South Korean Defense Minister An Kwi-bong and National Security Advisor Wi Sung-lok made statements on two consecutive days, saying that the South Korean nuclear-powered submarine would still be built domestically. Regarding the two options of "building in the Philadelphia Shipyard in the United States" and "building by General Dynamics in the United States," the South Korean side all considered them "unrealistic."

The South Korean side firmly rejected it, risking the possibility of offending Trump, insisting on building the submarine themselves. Perhaps they realized during the process of helping "the American shipbuilding industry become great again" that "built in the United States" meant prolonged time and numerous uncertainties. In that case, it's better for South Korea not to "get involved in the mess."

On October 22, the first 3,600-ton submarine "Jang Young-sil" was launched at the Geoje Shipyard under Hanwha Ocean.

Korea needs nuclear fuel for submarines; the US uses this as an opportunity to demand "built in the US"

On October 29, US President Trump met with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol in Gyeongju. During the meeting, Yoon Suk-yeol requested the US to provide nuclear fuel for nuclear-powered submarines to enhance the combat capabilities of South Korean submarines. Trump did not directly respond to Yoon Suk-yeol's request, but the next day (October 30), Trump posted on social media that he had "approved" the construction of a nuclear-powered submarine in South Korea, replacing its aging diesel-powered submarines. Trump also mentioned that South Korea would build the nuclear-powered submarine in the Philadelphia Shipyard, stating that "the American shipbuilding industry will experience a strong revival."

Building a nuclear-powered submarine is within the scope of national sovereignty, but due to the need to revise the US-South Korea Atomic Energy Agreement and require US provision of core technologies and highly enriched uranium fuel, Trump used the term "approved." However, Yoon Suk-yeol's request was for the US to provide "nuclear fuel," while Trump's "approval" was for "building the submarine in the United States." This response from Trump caused a stir in the South Korean media, who felt there seemed to be a "misunderstanding" in between.

On October 29, Trump and Yoon Suk-yeol held talks in Gyeongju, South Korea.

South Korea's original position was that, with existing submarine hull construction technology and the capability to manufacture small nuclear reactors, if the US provided nuclear fuel, South Korea could independently build a nuclear-powered submarine. Kim Jong-dae, head of the South Korean Ministry of Defense's Resource Management Office, stated that South Korea is currently working on mastering the core technologies required for constructing a reactor and weapon systems for nuclear submarines, and conducting safety verification work. After comprehensive analysis, South Korea can independently build a nuclear-powered submarine. If the fuel supply can be secured through negotiations with the US and construction can begin by 2030, the first submarine is expected to be launched between 2035 and 2040. However, with Trump's statement, the South Korean side had to re-adjust its original policy.

South Korea dares to say "no" to "built in the US"

South Korea's refusal of the "built in the US" option went through a "struggle." On November 4, South Korean Defense Minister An Kwi-bong met with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and both sides agreed to maintain close cooperation in the future regarding South Korea's introduction of nuclear-powered submarines. At that time, the South Korean side did not mention the issue of the construction location. When asked whether the South Korean side was willing to promote nuclear weapons development, An Kwi-bong said that as a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, the South Korean side cannot possess nuclear weapons, and achieving denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is a commitment that the South Korean side has always adhered to. This also indicates that the nuclear-powered submarine being built by South Korea does not have any plans to carry nuclear weapons.

On November 4, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and South Korean Defense Minister An Kwi-bong took a photo together at the Ministry of National Defense building in Seoul.

Subsequently, the South Korean side began to express its intentions. On November 5, An Kwi-bong attended a full committee meeting of the National Assembly's Defense Committee and stated that the nuclear-powered submarine should be built domestically. An Kwi-bong said that South Korea has over 30 years of technical experience in this field and has been deeply researching it, so it is more appropriate to build the nuclear submarine in South Korea.

Hanwha Group acquired the Philadelphia Shipyard last December, becoming a symbol of South Korea-US shipbuilding cooperation. Trump mentioned in his recent approval of South Korea's construction of a nuclear submarine that South Korea would build the nuclear submarine in the Philadelphia Shipyard in the United States. However, An Kwi-bong believes that the Philadelphia Shipyard currently has significant shortcomings in terms of technical strength, human resources, and facilities.

The next day (November 6), South Korean National Security Advisor Wi Sung-lok reiterated that South Korea would push forward the plan to build nuclear-powered submarines domestically. Wi Sung-lok said that the proposal to invest in the Philadelphia Shipyard's submarine construction facilities in the United States is unrealistic, and the proposal to have General Dynamics in the United States build South Korea's nuclear-powered submarine is also impractical.

Nuclear-powered submarines are mainly used for military purposes, and they have characteristics such as strong underwater concealment and long endurance, which allow them to perform various combat missions. However, their construction costs are much higher than those of diesel-electric submarines. South Korea's insistence on nuclear submarines directly stems from an imminent threat—the North Korean "Kim Jeong-yu Hero" tactical nuclear attack submarine has already been launched and put into service.

In March, Kim Jong-un supervised important shipbuilding work at a key shipyard and learned about the construction of a nuclear-powered strategic missile submarine.

In March, North Korean state media prominently displayed its ongoing construction of a "nuclear-powered strategic missile submarine," and Kim Jong-un claimed that this would make North Korea's maritime defense forces "unrestricted by water areas." This further intensified South Korea's strategic anxiety, placing its underwater defense system under a generational challenge.

"Each issue is no easy task"

Although South Korea has expressed its stance on building the nuclear submarine domestically, it does not align with Trump's intention to attract investment for the American shipbuilding industry. Therefore, South Korean public opinion believes that South Korea's completion of the nuclear submarine still requires a long journey. The "Hanmin Daily" observed that South Korea and the United States will engage in a new round of negotiations on specific details such as the construction location of the nuclear submarine, technology transfer, and acquisition of nuclear fuel, stating that "each issue is no easy task."

For example, the way South Korea obtains nuclear fuel may become a focal point of contention. If the South Korea-US Atomic Energy Agreement is revised to allow South Korea to have uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing facilities, it would ensure a stable supply of nuclear fuel. If revising the agreement is difficult at this stage, the US needs to ensure a stable supply of nuclear fuel for a considerable period. General Kim Dong-gye, Chief of the Republic of Korea Navy, said regarding the nuclear fuel issue: "From the perspective of peaceful use, maintaining the concentration of uranium below 20% is sufficient." This indicates that South Korea will first seek feasible solutions within the framework of the current South Korea-US Atomic Energy Agreement.

The US Navy's Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarine "Missouri" (SSN-780) is moored in Busan Port.

Regarding the potential changes in the future of South Korea's nuclear submarine construction. The American military media website "The Drive" pointed out that to maintain nuclear submarines, the South Korean navy must build supporting infrastructure and train professionals with the ability to operate and maintain nuclear reactors. These projects' costs and technical barriers may become obstacles to South Korea's nuclear submarine plan. Whether South Korea can advance the relevant plans depends on the level of US involvement, but the American shipbuilding industry has been in decline for many years, and how much support it can provide to South Korea remains unknown.

South Korean military commentator and former parliament member Kim Jong-da wrote an article advising that the idea of building a nuclear submarine is nothing more than a "national-level vanity" caused by the illusion of being a major power, and that South Korea would only gain "face" while losing money, time, and diplomatic autonomy. Regarding Trump's statement that the nuclear submarine must be built in an American shipyard, Kim Jong-da's concerns were even greater. He mentioned that the nuclear fuel would have to rely on the US's highly enriched uranium, and the construction technology and maintenance would likely fall under the control system of the American shipbuilding industry.

Author: Hou Junyi

Layout: Li Shuo

Editor: Liu Ying

Proofreader: Lin Xiao

Supervisor: Wang Lei

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7569974127193342498/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author and is welcome to express your opinion by clicking on the 【top/down】 buttons below.