Defense minister seeks US congressional support for S. Korea's nuclear-powered sub project
Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back, second from left, poses with U.S. lawmakers during a meeting on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Sunday. Courtesy of Defense Ministry
Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back on Sunday sought bipartisan U.S. congressional support for South Korea's nuclear-powered submarine project, as he met with members of the House of Representatives and the Senate at a defense forum, Seoul's defense ministry said.
Ahn separately met with congressmen and senators, including Reps. Pat Harrigan (R-NC), Gregory Meeks (D-NY) and Michael Baumgartner (R-WA); and Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Pete Ricketts (R-NE), the ministry said in a release.
"The minister sought congressional support for key alliance issues, including the transfer of wartime operational control, the pursuit of nuclear-powered submarines and cooperation in shipbuilding and maintenance, repair and overhaul," the ministry said in a release.
The United States gave backing for Seoul's bid to build nuclear powered subs after an October summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump. South Korea recently unveiled its road map for the program, aiming to domestically build the boats and launch the first one in the mid-2030s.
Ahn also stressed the importance of maintaining a robust combined defense posture with the U.S. at a time of growing uncertainties in regional security. He also explained Seoul's efforts to play a leading role in the defense of the Korean Peninsula.
Ahead of meetings with the U.S. lawmakers, Ahn held a series of bilateral talks with counterparts from Australia, Singapore and Thailand.
With each side, Ahn discussed efforts to advance bilateral partnerships in defense and the defense industry. The minister also used the meetings to highlight the need to further deepen cooperation in light of North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile threats and its close alignment with Russia.