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| ▲ This undated file photo, provided by Yonhap News TV, shows a flag (L) bearing the insignia of the defense ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
defense ministry-nuclear submarine
Defense ministry to push for special law on building nuclear subs
SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- The defense ministry is pushing to propose a special law supporting the introduction of nuclear-powered submarines, officials said Tuesday, as the United States has allowed South Korea to secure fuel for nuclear-powered submarines.
As part of the plan, the ministry recently commissioned a research project on the special law, with an aim to begin procedures to legislate the law as early as in the first half, according to the officials.
Given that building a nuclear-powered submarine requires massive budget and government-wide coordination in the long term, a special law is seen necessary as providing the legal foundation for drawing up relevant safety and management guidelines for the use of nuclear power for the submarines.
When legislated, the special law is also expected to help establish a regular government-wide task force tasked with introducing the nuclear-powered submarines.
"A special law is necessary to draw up procedures and other measures optimized for the nuclear-powered submarine bid as there are no such regulations in the existing defense acquisition program act and nuclear safety act," a ministry official said.
Washington officially approved Seoul's push to build nuclear-powered submarines and voiced its support for the ally's drive to secure uranium enrichment and spent nuclear fuel reprocessing capabilities in a joint fact sheet released in November last year following South Korea-U.S. summit talks.
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