Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

South Korean authorities are negotiating with the United States over the construction of a nuclear-powered submarine, insisting that it be built on South Korean soil, Azernews reports.

This was stated by Presidential Adviser on National Security Wee Son Lak during a briefing.

“The discussions are based on the premise that construction will take place in the Republic of Korea,” he said. Following the October 29 summit in Gyeongju, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he would allow South Korea to build a nuclear submarine at a shipyard in Philadelphia. South Korean officials, including Wee Son Lak, later clarified that they intend for the submarine to be constructed domestically. The joint statement released on November 14 did not specify the construction site.

“At the summit, this issue was discussed from start to finish from the position that the construction will occur in South Korea. We did not entertain the proposal to build the submarine in the United States,” Wee Son Lak emphasized.

“We seek cooperation and may request assistance from the United States. But when asked where the submarine will be built, the answer remains: in South Korea,” the National Security Adviser reiterated. On November 6, he dismissed as unrealistic a proposal to invest in Philadelphia shipyards to prepare them for nuclear submarine construction.

Experts note that building a nuclear-powered submarine domestically would be a major milestone for South Korea’s defense and shipbuilding industries, potentially positioning the country as one of the few nations with advanced domestic nuclear submarine capabilities. It also reflects Seoul’s broader strategy to strengthen self-reliant defense capabilities while maintaining close security ties with the United States.