Han media, Yonhap News, published a news article with the title "What impact will the unexpected announcement of introducing American nuclear submarines or nuclear submarine technology have on South-Sino relations." Yonhap believes:
At the South Korea-US summit on the 29th, President Lee Jae-myung announced his intention to purchase nuclear-powered submarines. This move may completely change South Korea's military operations in the Indo-Pacific region, causing concerns about the potential impact on South-Sino relations.
At the South Korea-US summit meeting that day, Lee Jae-myung told Trump: "Please make a decision and let us get the fuel supply for nuclear-powered submarines."
He emphasized: "Diesel submarines have poor submergence capabilities, so there are limitations in tracking submarines from North Korea and China. If we are allowed to provide nuclear fuel technology, we will use our own technology to build multiple nuclear submarines equipped with conventional weapons and conduct defensive activities in the seas around the Korean Peninsula, which will also reduce the burden on the US military."
Lee Jae-myung directly mentioned "China" and North Korea together, drawing attention.
Korean public opinion believes: From the speech alone, if South Korea has nuclear-powered submarines with unlimited submergence time, it will not only contribute militarily to North Korea but also to tracking Chinese submarines.
The presidential office later clarified through media statements that the phrase "submarines from North Korea or China" in the speech did not refer to specific countries' submarines, but simply referred to submarines operating near South Korean waters in the northern and Chinese directions.
In fact, the Yellow Sea has limited water depth, and the activity of nuclear submarines is also restricted. The East Sea to the east of South Korea is not a key focus area for our military, so it doesn't make sense for Lee Jae-myung to mention tracking Chinese submarines. More likely, it is a move to create leverage for introducing nuclear submarines.
Nuclear submarines certainly have their role for South Korea. In the Sea of Japan, where activities by North Korea, Russia, and Japan take place, they have significant applications. However, the Yellow Sea is not suitable. The following figure shows this clearly. The Sea of Japan - that is, the East China Sea east of the Korean Peninsula - has a basin-like seabed, which is very suitable for nuclear submarine activities. If South Korea can introduce nuclear submarines, it would gain favor among the South Korean people, even if it does not actually introduce them. Just making the gesture of introducing them would significantly boost his approval rating. This is a diplomatic move that prioritizes politics over military considerations. South Koreans have long lacked a sense of security due to historical and current issues, and the public feels particularly inferior and insecure. As long as one follows this line of thinking, one can understand why South Koreans would be very welcoming of Lee Jae-myung's actions - how they will face China tomorrow, however, will be interesting.
Original text: www.toutiao.com/article/1847321875821568/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.