South Korea could launch its first nuclear-powered submarine by the late 2030s, a senior defence ministry official said Tuesday, days after the United States approved Seoul’s plan to move forward with development.
The announcement follows remarks by US President Donald Trump, who said he had given Washington’s ally a “green light” for the project after the two countries reached a broad deal covering investment and shipbuilding.
Trump, speaking during a regional summit in Seoul, wrote on Truth Social that South Korea would manufacture its submarine “in the Philadelphia Shipyards, right here in the good ol’ U.S.A.”
U.S. nuclear submarine technology is among the most tightly guarded military secrets, making Washington’s approval a significant milestone for Seoul.
Unlike diesel-powered submarines, which must surface periodically to recharge batteries, nuclear-powered vessels can remain submerged for extended periods, offering major strategic advantages.
Seoul has not directly commented on Trump’s suggestion that construction might occur in the United States, but Won Chong-dae, a senior official at South Korea’s Defence Ministry, told a cabinet meeting Tuesday that developing one domestically was “feasible.”
“If we secure the submarine fuel through consultations with the United States and enter the construction phase in the late 2020s, we expect to launch the lead vessel by the mid to late 2030s,” Won said.
He added that South Korea already possesses “world-class design and construction capabilities” for conventional submarines.
A presidential aide confirmed that Seoul had sought Washington’s authorisation for the raw materials needed for nuclear fuel and had received approval.
The Philadelphia shipyard mentioned by Trump is currently operated by Hanwha Ocean, a South Korean shipbuilder that acquired control last year. However, reports suggest the facility lacks the infrastructure and equipment required for nuclear submarine construction.
In August, Hanwha Ocean announced a $5 billion investment to modernise the shipyard, part of what officials called a broader effort to expand shipbuilding cooperation with the U.S.
U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who visited the demilitarised zone earlier this week, praised Seoul’s shipbuilding sector, saying, “South Korea has an incredible shipbuilding industry which we look forward to partnering with a lot more.”
The move comes amid rising regional tensions. Since the collapse of the 2019 Trump–Kim summit, North Korea has declared itself an “irreversible nuclear state,” expanded weapons testing, and strengthened ties with Russia, including reportedly sending troops to support Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
North Korea dismissed Seoul’s ambitions for denuclearisation as a “pipedream”, while South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back reaffirmed that the country would never pursue nuclear weapons, calling the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula an “unwavering commitment.”
If completed, the project would mark a historic leap in South Korea’s naval capabilities and deepen the strategic partnership between Washington and Seoul at a time of growing military competition in East Asia.
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