Overview
- Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back called domestic construction reasonable given decades of shipbuilding expertise, though the build location has not been settled.
- Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said the Hanwha-run Philadelphia yard currently lacks the facilities, workforce and technology needed to produce a nuclear-powered submarine.
- U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reaffirmed President Trump's approval and said the Pentagon will coordinate with the State and Energy departments to implement the pledge.
- South Korean officials said key technologies are secured, an interagency task force will be formed, and a lead boat could launch in the mid-to-late 2030s if fuel is obtained and construction starts in the late 2020s.
- Legal and regulatory hurdles under the Korea–U.S. Atomic Energy Agreement remain, and analysts warn the effort could heighten regional tensions watched by North Korea and China.