A new era of arms buildup. South Korea to build a nuclear submarine

The South Korean government in consultation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)- will begin work on the construction of nuclear-powered submarines. The project, whose primary goal is to more effectively deter North Korea, is to be named „Jang Bogo N.”

„We will work toward completing the construction of the first unit by the mid-2030s,” announced South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-bak. The vessel is to be built in a South Korean shipyard. As the country’s Ministry of Defense indicates, the development of nuclear submarines is a „national industrial development project lasting approximately 40 years (10 years of construction + over 30 years of operation).”

„Nuclear submarines possess breakthrough operational capabilities compared to existing diesel-powered submarines, such as the ability for long-term submergence and high maneuverability, which will allow them to play a key role in responding to nuclear and missile threats posed by North Korean submarines,” reads a statement from the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Korea, which estimates that the Pyongyang regime currently possesses approximately 150 nuclear warheads.

According to Reuters, the construction of these vessels by South Korea should not encounter problems stemming from international law or specific agreements. The project is to take into account the provisions of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), as well as the consent of the United States and President Donald Trump. Why is Washington’s voice important in this story?

Specifically, both countries have been bound for years by a bilateral agreement (Section 123 of the U.S. Atomic Energy Act) that prohibits Seoul from enriching uranium and reprocessing spent nuclear fuel without the consent of the American authorities. A „green light” from the White House does not mean the termination of this agreement, but it provides the opportunity to begin the necessary work.