A South Korean official has said the country’s future nuclear-powered submarines, which the United States is helping to develop, will rattle North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Newsweek has contacted the North Korean Embassy in Beijing for comment via email.
Why It Matters
Facing North Korea’s development of nuclear weapons and missiles, South Korea has strengthened its preemptive and retaliatory strike capabilities, with its diesel-electric attack submarines playing a vital role in the country’s “three-axis system” strategy.
During his visit to South Korea last month, U.S. President Donald Trump announced he had approved the treaty ally’s plan to develop nuclear-powered submarines to boost the endurance of Seoul’s underwater fleet, which he said would be built in Philadelphia.
Upgrading South Korea’s submarine fleet, which will remain conventionally armed, would help ease the operational burden on the U.S. military in the Indo-Pacific region, where it has deployed nuclear-powered submarines to counter China, its main military rival.
What To Know
Appearing on a program of South Korean broadcaster KBS on Sunday, Ahn Gyu-back, the country’s defense minister, said the endurance and stealth of the proposed nuclear-powered submarines would make the North Korean leader unable to “sleep well.”
“Theoretically, as long as food supplies are maintained, [nuclear-powered submarine] does not need to surface,” the minister said, adding that the vessels could be deployed undetected to different locations around the Korean Peninsula to intimidate Pyongyang.
Following the announcement of the submarine deal, questions were immediately raised about Philadelphia Shipyard, which Trump said would build submarines for South Korea. The shipyard was acquired last year by South Korean conglomerate Hanwha.
Ahn said building submarines in South Korea is the “most rational approach,” given Philly Shipyard, the new name of Philadelphia Shipyard, lacks the necessary facilities.
The South Korean minister also recalled his meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, saying his counterpart had noted that “Trump’s will” to support the South Korean submarine project is strong. “They have pledged active support,” he added.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Ahn said on October 30 that South Korea should acquire a fleet of at least four nuclear-powered submarines, using enriched uranium supplied by the U.S., while the country’s navy estimated it would take about 10 years to receive the first vessel.
On the Sunday TV program, the minister said the military has prepared relentlessly for building nuclear-powered submarines for more than 30 years. “We assess that we have reached a significant level, nearing completion as long as fuel is available,” he added.
What People Are Saying
South Korea’s Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said on Sunday: “Core technologies such as reactor assembly completion and power conversion device technology have advanced considerably … While it typically takes over 10 years, we can achieve this in a shorter time frame.”
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said during a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump on October 29: “If [nuclear] fuel supply is permitted, we can build several submarines equipped with conventional weapons using our own technology to defend the waters around the Korean Peninsula, ultimately reducing the burden on U.S. forces.”
U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on October 30: “Our Military Alliance is stronger than ever before and, based on that, I have given them approval to build a Nuclear Powered Submarine, rather than the old fashioned, and far less nimble, diesel powered Submarines that they have now.”
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen whether the U.S. and South Korea will release additional details on their nuclear-powered submarine deal, including shipbuilding locations and capabilities.
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