South Korea's Nuclear Submarine Strategy
From The Korea Society by The Korea Society
January 28, 2026 · 1h 7m
About this episode
This episode discusses the geopolitical implications of South Korea's nuclear submarine strategy in the context of regional security and the US-ROK alliance.
January 28, 2026 - Join us for a virtual program examining the geopolitical impact of South Korea's development of nuclear submarines. When Republic of Korea (ROK) President Lee Jae Myung hosted US President Donald Trump for a State Visit in Gyeongju, South Korea in October of last year, the allies committed to developing the maritime and nuclear relationship. A Fact Sheet published after the summit meeting describes that: "The United States has given approval for the ROK to build nuclear-powered attack submarines… [and] will work closely with the ROK to advance requirements for this shipbuilding project, including avenues to source fuel." Rather than focusing on the engineering processes and logistical challenges of shipbuilding cooperation, which you can learn about here , this discussion explores the strategic and geopolitical consequences of South Korea's emergent nuclear submarine program. Against a backdrop of North Korea's quickly evolving nuclear arsenal as well as revived interest in diplomatic engagement, this program investigates how nuclear submarines impact South Korea's defensive capabilities and strategic posture, its contribution to and coordination with the…
People in this episode
Guests: Dr. Sang Hyun Lee, Dr. James R. Holmes, Minkyung Jung
Topics covered
- South Korea
- nuclear submarines
- geopolitical impact
- US-ROK alliance
- North Korea
- defensive capabilities
- maritime strategy
Keywords
- nuclear submarines
- South Korea
- geopolitics
- defense strategy
- North Korea
- US-ROK relations
- maritime security
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Republic of Korea, U.S. Naval War College, Sejong Institute
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