South Korea sets deadline for US talks to secure nuclear sub fuel

Dec 19, 2025, 09:38 am

		0
Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back delivers a policy briefing during a joint work report by the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs at the defense ministry headquarters in Yongsan, Seoul, on December 18. / Source: Presidential Office Photo Pool

South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense said on December 18 that it aims to complete negotiations with the United States within two years to secure nuclear fuel for nuclear-powered submarines.

The ministry outlined the plan during a presidential work briefing held at its headquarters in Yongsan, Seoul, presenting its roadmap for advancing the construction of nuclear-powered submarines.

According to the ministry, South Korea plans to pursue the project largely through its own capabilities by integrating domestic submarine construction expertise with core nuclear technologies. It said it will present a detailed development plan next year, including principles, construction timelines, and positions on nuclear nonproliferation.

The ministry also said it plans to establish a permanent interagency task force to push the nuclear-powered submarine program as a national strategic project, pooling resources across the government. As the project would mark the first application of a nuclear reactor to a submarine in South Korea, the ministry said it will work to build an institutional foundation by developing safety regulations, safeguards technologies, and related legal frameworks.

Separately, the ministry said South Korea and the United States will seek agreement at the 58th Security Consultative Meeting (SCM), scheduled for next year, on completing verification of full operational capability (FOC) and setting the timing for the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON).

The two allies have agreed that the OPCON transfer is conditional upon a three-stage verification process: initial operational capability (IOC), full operational capability (FOC), and full mission capability (FMC).

The defense ministry said it aims to finalize a roadmap by April next year to accelerate fulfillment of the OPCON transfer conditions and to complete FOC verification at the 58th SCM in November. Progress on meeting the conditions and managing alliance-related issues will be reviewed regularly through evaluation meetings chaired by Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back.

#Ministry of National Defense #nuclear-powered submarine #nuclear fuel #US-South Korea negotiations