The United States will transfer highly sensitive technology to enable South Korea to build a nuclear-powered submarine, President Donald Trump announced on social media Thursday following a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.
During their talks on Wednesday, Lee emphasized the need to modernize the US–South Korea alliance, pledging increased military spending to ease America’s financial burden. He clarified that Seoul’s interest lies in nuclear fuel for submarines, not nuclear weapons, after what he described as a misunderstanding in earlier discussions.
Lee noted that South Korea’s current diesel-powered submarines face limitations in tracking foreign vessels, while nuclear-powered submarines could remain submerged for far longer and significantly enhance regional security cooperation with the US.
Trump added in a separate post that the submarine would be built at the Philly Shipyard, acquired last year by South Korea’s Hanwha Group. While the size and cost of the project remain unclear, South Korea has already committed $150 billion to boost US shipbuilding capacity as part of broader defense cooperation.
The announcement is striking given the extreme sensitivity of US nuclear submarine technology, which Washington has historically guarded closely. Even the AUKUS pact with the UK and Australia does not involve direct technology transfer of this kind.
Trump’s statement comes ahead of his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, whose country operates nuclear submarines, and follows North Korea’s unveiling earlier this year of its first nuclear-powered submarine under construction. On Wednesday, Pyongyang also claimed successful cruise missile tests, underscoring its growing military capabilities.
Pentagon officials have not yet commented on Trump’s announcement.
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