South Korea Launches Nuclear-Powered Submarine Project Amid U.S. Fuel Hurdles
The Chosun Ilbo · Kwon Soon-wan ·
South Korea Launches Nuclear-Powered Submarine Project Amid U.S. Fuel Hurdles Negotiations with U.S. on Low-Enriched Uranium Stalled as Democratic Party Raises Proliferation Concerns
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) held a Defense Project Promotion Committee meeting on the 6th and approved the basic strategy plan for the ‘Changbo-go N (KSS-Ⅲ Batch-Ⅲ)’ project to introduce a nuclear-powered submarine. DAPA stated on the day, “The nuclear-powered submarine (SSN) secured through this project will contribute to strengthening our independent defense capabilities by enhancing deterrence against security threats such as North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs and realizing an underwater kill chain.” This marks the formal commencement of the SSN project, approximately six months after the Ministry of National Defense announced its basic development plan in May.
Following the approval of the basic strategy plan, the military plans to begin the design of the nuclear-powered submarine next year with a budget of 96.6 billion Korean won. The government stated that the timeline for operational deployment would be “late 2030s or later.” However, specific details regarding the submarine’s specifications, armaments, and total project costs were not disclosed. A DAPA official explained, “SSN-related information is a core secret requiring extreme security.” Military insiders anticipate that the plan will involve constructing three submarines exceeding 8,000 tons in size.
The key issue is how to secure the low-enriched uranium (LEU) needed as fuel for the nuclear-powered submarine. U.S. President Donald Trump approved South Korea’s introduction of the SSN immediately after the Korea-U.S. summit in October last year, but negotiations between the two governments on a “fuel supply plan” have since made little progress.
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