South Korea plans launch of nuclear‑powered submarine by the late 2030s after U.S. approval

Senior South Korean defense official Won Chong-dae confirmed the timeline for the country’s nuclear-powered submarine program during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

“If we secure the submarine fuel through consultations with the United States and enter the construction phase in the late 2020s, we expect to launch the lead vessel by the mid to late 2030s,” Won told ministers.

He stressed that South Korea already has world-class design and construction capabilities for conventional submarines.

The announcement comes days after former US President Donald Trump said he had given Seoul a green light for the project. Trump claimed on Truth Social that the submarine would be built at the “Philadelphia Shipyards, right here in the USA.” Seoul has not commented on the suggestion that the vessel would be constructed on US soil.

Won, however, said it is “feasible to construct a nuclear-powered submarine with our own technology.”

A South Korean presidential aide confirmed that Seoul had requested Washington’s approval for the raw materials and had received authorization, AFP reported.

The Philadelphia shipyard mentioned by Trump has been operated by South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean since last year. Media reports indicate that the facility currently lacks the equipment needed to build nuclear-powered submarines. Hanwha Ocean announced a USD 5 billion investment in the shipyard in August, aligning with Seoul’s efforts to support US shipbuilding.

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth praised South Korea’s “incredible shipbuilding industry,” noting the potential for deeper collaboration.

The announcement comes amid rising tensions with North Korea, which continues to describe itself as an “irreversible” nuclear state. Pyongyang dismissed Seoul’s denuclearization efforts as a “pipedream” that “can never be realized.”

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back reiterated that the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula “remains an unwavering commitment” and ruled out the possibility of South Korea ever developing its own nuclear weapons.