ED Build nuclear-powered sub in South Korea

National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac, left, and U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright / Courtesy of Associated Press

National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac returned from last week's Washington trip with the news that South Korea and the U.S. will start simultaneous discussions on the construction of Seoul's first nuclear-powered submarine as well as enriching uranium and reprocessing spent nuclear fuel.

These areas, currently off-limits for South Korea, were addressed in the joint fact sheet produced after the summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump in October.

South Korea, as one of the world's top five nuclear power producers, has faced restrictions on atomic energy use under the overarching Non-Proliferation Treaty as well as a bilateral agreement between Seoul and Washington.

Lee's public request regarding the nuclear submarine and Trump's positive response during the summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, has yielded the initial breakthrough. The realization of these plans, however, faces hurdles including approval by U.S. Congress, as well as concerns about proliferation from some parties in Washington and nations in Northeast Asia.

The agreement marks a new phase in Seoul-Washington nuclear cooperation, and talks are soon to begin, which is an encouraging step. The two sides should get on the same page on building South Korea's first nuclear-powered sub in South Korea, and have candidate contenders go through open bidding.

From Seoul's perspective, the move will help upgrade deterrence against nuclear threats from North Korea and, looking further, possibly the wider region. Another aspect is that as a top nuclear producer nation, the ability to enrich uranium more easily and reprocess spent nuclear fuel for civilian purposes will boost South Korea's long-term energy security. More urgently, Seoul's spent fuel storage facilities are expected to reach full capacity by 2030. In the upcoming talks, officials must achieve the intended goals within the nonproliferation framework in regard to the sensitivities of the region.

To accelerate this high-profile sub project, Wi indicated that Seoul and Washington have agreed to sign a separate bilateral agreement under Section 91 of the U.S. Atomic Energy Act that authorizes the U.S. president to approve the transfer of nuclear materials for military use. It essentially sidesteps the prohibition to create an exemption, and would be similar to how the U.S. allowed nuclear material to be transferred to Australia through the trilateral AUKUS partnership.

However, China immediately warned of proliferation risks. The state-backed Global Times newspaper cited military expert Song Zhongping saying that a Korea-U.S. nuclear-powered submarine program would carry high risks of nuclear proliferation, and that the U.S. has set a bad precedent with the AUKUS nuclear submarine program. Song further warned that Japan was hyping its own plans for nuclear submarines, which could result in an arms race on this front.

As China regularly touts expert opinions before making an official statement, Song's remarks could be read as a semi-official stance. Seoul officials must therefore make a concerted effort to ensure that its nuclear sub plan is strictly for deterrence against North Korean nuclear threats, and that its work will proceed within the nonproliferation framework.

The message should be that this region has largely managed to maintain stable security for decades through deterrence and the balance of power.

In the joint fact sheet, the United States also stated that it supports procedures that could lead to South Korea's peaceful enrichment of uranium and reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel, within the framework of the ROK-U.S. nuclear cooperation agreement and consistent with U.S. legal requirements.

Currently, Seoul can enrich uranium up to 20 percent and reprocess spent fuel for civilian purposes with U.S. consent. Amid the artificial intelligence-driven revolution, there will be fast-growing demand for energy. Obtaining the right to manage nuclear materials for energy purposes is vital.

There is high anticipation in South Korea for the nuclear submarine, as well as for the prospect of handling nuclear matter for energy purposes. Based on that, officials should prepare thoroughly for future talks, while keeping an eye on U.S. Congress approval and next November's U.S. midterm elections. Seoul must also peacefully address doubts raised by allies and neighbor states.