South Korea and the United States have agreed to pursue a stand-alone agreement on cooperation for nuclear-powered submarines. National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac mentioned this following his recent trip to the U.S., Canada, and Japan, where he met with key officials. Discussions included security agreements outlined in a joint fact sheet released after a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and President Donald Trump.
“We shared the view that a stand-alone agreement on cooperation over nuclear-powered submarines is necessary, and agreed to move forward with discussions,” Wi informed reporters. The talks also covered topics such as uranium enrichment and reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. South Korea aims to obtain low-enriched uranium below 20 percent for the submarines, emphasizing its commitment to nuclear non-proliferation.
A working-level U.S. delegation is set to visit South Korea early next year to further discuss the agreements outlined in the joint fact sheet. South Korea, under a bilateral nuclear accord with the U.S., is restricted from enriching its own uranium and must import low-enriched uranium. In a separate development, Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., South Korea’s top shipbuilder, secured an order to construct two petrochemical product carriers for an African client.
