In November, South Korean officials reported that an agreement had been signed with the United States on the joint construction of nuclear submarines. Donald Trump's decision to approve this project could pave the way for Seoul's access to nuclear fuel, which could trigger a chain reaction in the region and mark the beginning of a new arms race on the ocean floor.
On Wednesday, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung assessed the agreement on nuclear submarines as a key achievement of his meeting with Trump and said it would enhance the country's security adaptability and defense independence.
Seoul emphasizes that nuclear energy is of crucial importance in countering North Korea's underwater threats, including submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and has repeatedly stressed that it does not possess nuclear weapons and adheres to the rules of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
"Non-proliferation of nuclear weapons is an international principle we must respect," Lee Jae-myung told the BBC, adding that the treaty prohibits the proliferation of weapons, not all nuclear technologies.
However, according to analysts and former military officials, the rapid development of South Korea's nuclear submarine program could anger China and prompt Japan to develop similar technologies.
