Military Reports to President Lee: "Nuclear-Powered Submarine Launch Possible in Mid to Late 2030s"

On November 4, President Lee Jae-myung received a report from the Ministry of National Defense regarding nuclear-powered submarines, stating, "If we enter the construction phase in the late 2020s, it is expected that the lead vessel could be launched in the mid to late 2030s."

Won Jongdae, Director General for Resource Management at the Ministry of National Defense, made this report at the Cabinet meeting presided over by President Lee at the Yongsan Presidential Office, on the premise that nuclear fuel for the submarines would be secured through consultations with the United States.

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the Cabinet meeting held at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the 4th. Photo by Yonhap News

Director Won explained to President Lee, "We are continuously securing the core technologies necessary for the nuclear submarines, such as reactors and weapons systems," adding, "We already possess world-class design and construction capabilities for conventional submarines."

He further stated, "By integrating the core technologies and national capabilities we have secured so far, we believe it is possible to construct nuclear-powered submarines with our own technology."

Director Won also noted, "The construction of nuclear-powered submarines is a large-scale strategic weapons project that involves various challenges, including diplomatic consultations, technical verification, and the establishment of an industrial base," emphasizing the need to establish a systematic implementation framework. To this end, he announced plans to form a diplomatic and defense working group between South Korea and the United States, as well as to launch a government-wide task force to consolidate national capabilities.

Meanwhile, he stressed, "With progress in Korea-U.S. consultations, conditions are now in place for the full-scale implementation of the nuclear-powered submarine project," adding, "Considering the submarines' submerged endurance and high-speed capabilities, developing and operating nuclear-powered submarines will mark a significant turning point in dramatically enhancing our national defense capabilities and achieving self-reliant defense."