South Korea eyes first nuclear submarine by mid-2030s, but hurdles run deep

South China Morning Post Park Chan-kyong 27 травня 2026, 02:00 1 переглядів 2 хв читання

AdvertisementSouth Korea This Week in Asia PoliticsSouth Korea eyes first nuclear submarine by mid-2030s, but hurdles run deep

Delayed US talks, non-proliferation concerns and budget pressures stand in the way of Seoul’s bid to boost its defence, analysts say

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The Republic of Korea Navy KSS-III submarine, known as Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, and the ROKS Daejeon frigate at the Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt in British Columbia on Monday. Photo: The Canadian Press via AP

Park Chan-kyongPublished: 10:00am, 27 May 2026South Korea’s drive to acquire its first nuclear-powered submarines is moving back up President Lee Jae Myung’s defence agenda, but analysts say delayed US consultations, non-proliferation concerns and budget pressures still stand in the way.

Lee on Tuesday urged faster efforts to secure the submarines, describing them as core strategic assets for the country’s future defence capabilities.

“We need to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence and drone technologies, while speeding up the introduction of nuclear-powered submarines, which are core strategic assets for future defence capabilities,” Lee said during a meeting with defence officials.

He described the envisioned submarines as “a symbol of our will to take responsibility for peace and security on the Korean peninsula”.

The comments come as Allison Hooker, US undersecretary of state for political affairs, is expected to lead an inter-agency delegation to Seoul in the coming weeks to launch bilateral working groups aimed at implementing agreements reached at last year’s summit between Lee and US President Donald Trump.

Those agreements included US cooperation on Seoul’s plan to build nuclear-powered submarines – a long-sought capability that would allow South Korea’s navy to remain under water much longer than its diesel-powered fleet but would also require sensitive arrangements over nuclear fuel and safeguards.

Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back briefed Lee on a government plan to launch the country’s first nuclear-powered submarine by the mid-2030s – a move that could reshape Asia’s security landscape and add to concerns over regional military competition.

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South Korea eyes first nuclear submarine by mid-2030s, but hurdles run deep

Delayed US talks, non-proliferation concerns and budget pressures stand in the way of Seoul’s bid to boost its defence, analysts say

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