Trump’s bold move: Helping Seoul acquire a nuclear-powered submarine
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has announced an unprecedented agreement that would allow South Korea to build its first nuclear-powered attack submarine — a move that analysts say could reshape the balance of power in East Asia while raising fears of a new regional arms race.
The deal, revealed during Trump’s recent Asian tour, aims to enable Seoul to construct a nuclear-powered vessel in a shipyard owned by a South Korean company in Philadelphia. Though the details remain secret, experts describe it as a strategic “game changer” for both Washington and Seoul.
According to François Diaz-Maurin from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, the initiative primarily responds to growing threats from North Korea, which unveiled its first nuclear-powered submarine earlier this year. Current South Korean diesel submarines, experts note, cannot match Pyongyang’s new capabilities.
However, the plan faces legal and technical hurdles. South Korea cannot enrich uranium to weapons-grade levels without violating the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. A possible solution could follow the AUKUS model — the U.S., U.K., and Australia defense pact — in which the nuclear fuel is supplied in sealed “black box” reactors to prevent proliferation.
While supporters see the agreement as a milestone in U.S.–South Korean defense cooperation, others warn it could heighten tensions with North Korea and China. “This could spark a dangerous regional arms race,” said Byong-Chul Lee of Kyungnam University in Seoul.
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