South Korea eyes first nuclear submarine by mid-2030s, but hurdles run deep

Delayed US talks, non-proliferation concerns and budget pressures stand in the way of Seoul’s bid to boost its defence, analysts say

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The Republic of Korea Navy KSS-III submarine, known as Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, and the ROKS Daejeon frigate at the Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt in British Columbia on Monday. Photo: The Canadian Press via AP

Published: 10:00am, 27 May 2026Updated: 4:07pm, 27 May 2026

South Korea’s push to acquire its first nuclear-powered submarines is moving back up President Lee Jae Myung’s defence agenda, but analysts say delayed US consultations, non-proliferation concerns and budget pressures still stand in the way.

Lee on Tuesday urged faster efforts to secure the submarines, describing them as core strategic assets for the country’s future defence capabilities.

“We need to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence and drone technologies, while speeding up the introduction of nuclear-powered submarines,” Lee said during a meeting with defence officials.

He described the envisioned submarines as “a symbol of our will to take responsibility for peace and security on the Korean peninsula”.

The comments come as Allison Hooker, US undersecretary of state for political affairs, is expected to lead an inter-agency delegation to Seoul in the coming weeks to launch bilateral working groups aimed at implementing agreements reached at last year’s summit between Lee and US President Donald Trump.

Those agreements included US cooperation on Seoul’s plan to build nuclear-powered submarines – a long-sought capability that would allow South Korean vessels to remain submerged much longer than its current diesel-powered fleet, but one that would also require sensitive arrangements over nuclear fuel and safeguards.

South Korea eyes first nuclear submarine by mid-2030s, but hurdles run deep

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Delayed US talks, non-proliferation concerns and budget pressures stand in the way of Seoul’s bid to boost its defence, analysts say

Delayed US talks, non-proliferation concerns and budget pressures stand in the way of Seoul’s bid to boost its defence, analysts say