US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth vowed interagency efforts on Tuesday to fulfill President Donald Trump's pledge for South Korea to build nuclear-powered submarines. The commitment follows last week's summit where President Lee Jae Myung sought US approval for nuclear fuel supplies. South Korea's defense ministry anticipates launching its first homegrown nuclear submarine in the mid-to-late 2030s.
At the 57th Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) in Seoul on Tuesday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated at a press conference after talks with South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back that Washington would undertake interagency efforts "in a deliberate manner" to help fulfill President Donald Trump's pledge for South Korea to build nuclear-powered submarines. This comes after President Lee Jae Myung requested US approval for nuclear fuel during last week's summit with Trump.
Deputy Defense Minister for Resources Management Won Chong-dae told a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday that progress has been made on the fuel supply issue, the most challenging aspect of the discussions, paving the way for the project. South Korea aims to launch its first domestically built nuclear-powered submarine in the mid-to-late 2030s, following the US signal of support after the leaders' summit.
In his budget speech at the National Assembly on the same day, President Lee highlighted progress in US talks on fuel supplies for the submarines, noting that the finalized tariff deal with the US—exchanging Seoul's US$350 billion investment pledge for lower tariffs—has eased economic uncertainties.
Reports vary on construction details: Hegseth mentioned building in a US shipyard, while the defense ministry emphasized a homegrown effort, indicating ongoing coordination. The initiative aligns with South Korea's push for self-reliant defense.