South Korea should be able to launch its first domestically built nuclear-powered submarine in the mid-to-late 2030s, as the United States signaled support following last week's leaders' summit. Deputy Defense Minister Won Chong-dae said progress has been made on the challenging fuel supply issue, paving the way for the project. The government plans to establish an interagency task force for the construction.
During a Cabinet meeting in Seoul on Nov. 4, Deputy Defense Minister for Resources Management Won Chong-dae said South Korea could launch the submarine in the mid-to-late 2030s if it secures fuel through US consultations and starts construction in the late 2020s. "We expect that it will be possible to launch the submarine in the mid-to-late 2030s if South Korea secures fuel through consultations with the U.S. and begins construction in the late 2020s," Won stated.
At a summit on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Gyeongju last Wednesday, President Lee Jae-myung asked U.S. President Donald Trump to allow nuclear fuel supplies for conventionally armed submarines to better track North Korean and Chinese vessels, noting it would ease the operational burden on U.S. forces. The following day, Trump posted on social media that he had approved South Korea to build a nuclear-powered submarine at a Philadelphia shipyard operated by Hanwha Ocean.
Following annual security talks in Seoul on the same day, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Department of Defense will work closely with other departments to fulfill Trump's pledge in a "deliberate" manner, adding that Trump wants his allies to be "strong."
The government has secured key technologies such as the reactor and arms systems, with safety verification under way. "As this will be the first case in which a reactor is installed in a submarine, we will make sure that we have the necessary legal and regulatory frameworks established at the same time," Won said.
