"The Significance of U.S. Approval: Granting South Korea Access to 'Highly Classified' Nuclear Submarine Technology Not Even Shared with the UK or Australia"

No Direct Technology Transfer Even to the United Kingdom and Australia

There has been an interpretation that U.S. President Donald Trump’s approval for South Korea to build nuclear-powered submarines signifies the United States’ willingness to provide South Korea with nuclear submarine technology, which has long been managed under strict secrecy.

Yonhap News Agency

On October 30 (local time), the Associated Press reported on President Trump’s announcement, noting that U.S. nuclear submarine technology is among the most sensitive and tightly guarded technologies possessed by the U.S. military. The United States has maintained this technology as top secret, and even in the agreement with its close allies, the United Kingdom and Australia (AUKUS), there was no provision for direct technology transfer from the United States.

Earlier that day, President Trump stated on Truth Social, the social networking service he created, “I have approved South Korea to build nuclear-powered submarines instead of the outdated and less maneuverable diesel submarines they currently possess.” He added that these submarines would be constructed at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in the United States, a symbolic site for U.S.-South Korea cooperation in shipbuilding.

The Associated Press highlighted that President Trump’s decision came ahead of his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. China already possesses nuclear-powered submarines, and North Korea announced in March that it had begun constructing its own nuclear submarine. Nuclear-powered submarines are considered weapon systems that could pose a serious security threat to both South Korea and the United States.

However, officials from the U.S. Department of Defense have yet to comment on the announcement regarding nuclear submarines.