▲ South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (R) gestures to U.S. President Donald Trump to take a seat ahead of their talks at the Gyeongju National Museum in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, southeastern South Korea, in this file photo from Oct. 29, 2025. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

S Korea-nuclear-powered subs

S. Korea to announce nuclear-powered submarine road map soon amid stalled talks with U.S.

By Kim Seung-yeon

SEOUL, May 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is expected to soon announce its road map for acquiring nuclear-powered submarines, sources familiar with the matter said Friday, as Seoul seeks to speed up negotiations with the United States amid little progress in follow-up talks.

The move comes amid a lack of progress in the allies' negotiations after Washington agreed to support Seoul's efforts to acquire the submarines following summit talks between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump in October.

Seoul plans to unveil a comprehensive road map for the nuclear-propelled submarine project, outlining its defensive nature and role in line with international nonproliferation obligations, as well as a timeline for the envisioned program, according to sources.

Local media reported Friday that Lee is expected to make the announcement before the end of this month.

"We are in the process of materializing the framework plan for the development of nuclear-powered submarines in cooperation with relevant ministries and agencies," a defense ministry official said, without elaborating further.

Under the joint fact sheet released after the October summit, the U.S. gave approval for South Korea to build nuclear-powered attack submarines and committed to working with Seoul to advance requirements for the project, including avenues to source fuel.

Washington's green light has been seen as part of its broader efforts to rebuild its declining shipbuilding industry and bolster its partnership with Seoul -- a major global shipbuilder -- in various areas, such as the maintenance, repair and overhaul sector.

However, follow-up negotiations have not progressed in earnest amid delays in advancing their trade deal that was also a key part of the summit agreement.

Washington's frustration over Seoul's handling of a massive data breach involving e-commerce giant Coupang Inc. has also contributed to growing friction between the allies and is widely seen as one of the reasons behind the stalled negotiations.

During his visit to Washington earlier this week, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back met with Hung Cao, acting secretary of the U.S. Navy, and asked for support for South Korea's nuclear-powered submarine project.

Nuclear-propelled submarines are powered by small nuclear reactors and designed to remain submerged for months without undermining underwater endurance. They are also significantly faster than conventional diesel-powered submarines, making them an important military asset.

The military is conducting a preliminary review to build at least four 5,000-ton-class nuclear-powered submarines after the mid-2030s.

The government is also pushing for legislation to establish a regulatory framework on the military's nuclear energy management.

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