Overview
- Seoul welcomed President Trump’s statement and said it will work closely with Washington on follow-up measures.
- Experts stressed that verbal approval does not constitute a program, pointing to the Korea–U.S. 123 agreement that excludes military uses of U.S.-origin nuclear material.
- Officials signaled that a new or amended accord, IAEA safeguards arrangements, export-control clearances, and U.S. congressional review would be required.
- Trump said construction would occur at Philadelphia shipyards, though Hanwha’s facility there and Hanwha Ocean acknowledged they currently lack the capability to build nuclear submarines and would need major upgrades.
- South Korean defense leaders outlined a notional force of at least four boats and an expected timeline of roughly a decade, with fuel type decisions such as HALEU versus U.S. HEU central to feasibility and diplomacy.