【By Lin Chenli, Observer Net】According to Politico, a U.S. political news website, on October 30 local time, U.S. President Trump stated that the U.S. would share nuclear propulsion technology with South Korea to help the South Korean Navy build at least one nuclear-powered submarine.
On that day, Trump posted on the "Truth Social" platform that South Korea had agreed to pay the U.S. $35 billion in exchange for the U.S. lowering tariffs on South Korean goods. In addition, South Korea also agreed to purchase large amounts of U.S. oil and natural gas, and investments by wealthy South Korean companies and businessmen in the U.S. would exceed $60 billion.
"The U.S.-South Korea military alliance is stronger than ever, and based on this, I have approved South Korea to build nuclear-powered submarines, rather than the old diesel-powered submarines they currently have," Trump wrote.
Trump added: "South Korea will build its nuclear-powered submarines right here in the United States! Our shipbuilding industry is about to experience a strong recovery. Stay tuned!"
Nuclear propulsion technology is a closely guarded secret by the United States, and the U.S. has only shared it with the United Kingdom and Australia before. The most recent instance was in 2021 under the AUKUS framework, where the U.S. and the U.K. shared the technology with Australia, assisting in the construction of a new generation of nuclear-powered submarines.
On October 29 local time, Trump met with Lee Jae-myung in Gyeongju, South Korea IC photo
On October 29 local time, Trump arrived in South Korea and met with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. The two held talks at the National Gyeongju Museum in Gyeongsangbuk-do's Gyeongju. During the talks, Lee requested the U.S. provide nuclear fuel needed for nuclear-powered submarines to enhance the combat capabilities of South Korean submarines.
In his opening remarks, Lee said: "I didn't fully explain to you before, which may have caused some misunderstandings. We are not seeking nuclear-powered submarines equipped with nuclear weapons. Diesel-powered submarines have limited underwater endurance, thus facing limitations in tracking Chinese or North Korean submarines. If we can obtain nuclear fuel, we will use our own technology to build multiple conventional-armed (nuclear-powered) submarines, conduct defensive operations in the surrounding seas of the Korean Peninsula, which can also alleviate the burden on the U.S. military."
Trump did not directly respond to Lee's request at the time, but he stated that the U.S. hopes to cooperate with South Korea in shipbuilding and joint defense. Trump said, "From the perspective of helping other countries, our defense is very important. We will handle it properly and work with you."
Seo Seong-rok, head of South Korea's National Security Office, introduced at a press conference after the meeting that during subsequent closed-door discussions, Trump expressed resonance with the point that "given changes in security situations such as North Korea building nuclear-powered submarines, South Korea indeed needs the capability of nuclear submarines," and agreed to further consultations on this issue.
Yonhap News Agency stated that this is the first time the South Korean government has officially announced its intention to introduce nuclear-powered submarines.
Hanwha Philadelphia Shipyard, Yonhap News Agency
It is reported that the "Philadelphia Shipyard" referred to by Trump is officially named "Hanwha Philadelphia Shipyard." Part of the site was originally the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, which was acquired by Hanwha Group of South Korea in December 2024. The shipyard is currently a purely commercial facility and does not yet have the conditions to handle nuclear materials or build military ships.
Alex Wong, Chief Strategy Officer of Hanwha Group, said in a statement: "With Trump President and President Lee placing the shipbuilding industry at the core of the U.S.-South Korea alliance, Hanwha is ready to provide support with advanced shipbuilding scale."
He added: "Through Hanwha Philadelphia Shipyard and other investments and cooperation, the revival of the U.S. shipbuilding industry will benefit American workers, bring prosperity to the U.S. and South Korea, and strengthen the joint security of the two countries."
The report pointed out that Trump's move and the unexpected construction location have raised questions: How long will it take to meet the conditions for highly specialized and sensitive work, and to train skilled workers? What will be the cost of comprehensively renovating the shipyard?
Currently, U.S. shipyards are facing delays in building nuclear-powered submarines. Huntington Ingalls Industries' plan to build Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines is delayed by 2 to 3 years, and the construction of the first Columbia-class submarine is delayed by 18 to 24 months.
The delays mainly stem from supply chain issues and difficulty in recruiting enough workers to perform high-intensity, high-risk shipbuilding work. With suppliers already overwhelmed by existing demands, adding another submarine to an already crowded construction schedule will further increase the pressure on U.S. shipbuilding.
Chosun Ilbo reported that it is extremely rare for South Korea to mention specific countries other than North Korea when announcing a specific weapon plan. South Korean media evaluated that this indicates that the Lee Jae-myung government is willing to join the U.S. in "balancing China" at a certain cost.
Regarding Lee Jae-myung's attitude towards the U.S. and China after taking office, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jia Kun stated on August 27 that a healthy, stable, and continuously deepening Sino-South Korean relationship is in line with the fundamental interests of both countries' people and is beneficial to regional and even global peace, stability, and development. This is a consensus between the two sides.
"The development of Sino-South Korean relations originates from mutual interests, does not target a third party, and should not be affected by third-party factors," Guo Jia Kun pointed out. The Chinese side maintains continuity and stability in its policy toward South Korea. It hopes that South Korea will move in the same direction and work together to promote the continued, healthy, and stable development of the Sino-South Korean strategic partnership.
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