Seoul to expedite process for nuclear-powered submarine program

Korea will expedite the legislative process to advance its nuclear-powered submarine program, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday, following a regular intergovernmental meeting on the project.

The second task force meeting came after Seoul unveiled a roadmap for the development of the nuclear-propelled submarine project last month and followed last week's launch of bilateral consultations with the United States on the issue.

The pan-governmental task force held its first meeting in December last year to coordinate efforts on the nuclear-powered submarine project among relevant agencies, including the military, the Science and Industry Ministries and the nuclear energy safety commission.

At Wednesday's meeting, officials discussed legislative steps needed to advance the project and efforts to establish a nuclear safety regulatory framework, the ministry said in a release.

They also discussed plans for future consultations with the International Atomic Energy Agency to meet nonproliferation standards, it said.

"We will speed up to advance the legislative process, with the goal of establishing the institutional policy framework by next year," the ministry said, adding that participating agencies will continue to work closely to push ahead with key tasks in a swift manner.

The officials shared the view that the nuclear-powered submarine program is a national strategic project that requires a whole-government approach, given the wide-ranging efforts required in fields such as diplomacy, nuclear safety, industry, technology and fiscal planning.

Seoul secured U.S. backing for the plan under a trade and security agreement reached at last year's bilateral summit of their leaders.

A U.S. delegation led by Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker visited Seoul last week for two-day consultations on security issues, including the nuclear-powered submarine project.

Korea seeks to build conventionally-armed nuclear-powered attack submarines, fueled by low-enriched uranium with an enrichment level of below 20 percent.

The country aims to build at least three 8,000-ton nuclear-powered submarines and launch its first vessel in the mid-2030s.

Yonhap