U.S. diplomat calls Trump's support for Seoul's nuclear sub push 'clear' example of cooperation against 'regional' threats
Published: 04 Dec. 2025, 08:37
![Jonathan Fritz, principal deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, speaks during a forum hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Korea Foundation, in Washington on Dec. 3. [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/12/04/2aa7030a-3408-4b46-8dba-cd0072528acd.jpg)
Jonathan Fritz, principal deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, speaks during a forum hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Korea Foundation, in Washington on Dec. 3. [SCREEN CAPTURE]
A U.S. diplomat on Wednesday described U.S. President Donald Trump's support for South Korea to build nuclear-propelled submarines as a "clear" example of cooperation to enhance the allies' collective capabilities to counter "regional" threats.
Jonathan Fritz, principal deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, made the remarks during a forum amid speculation that Trump's backing for Seoul's drive to secure the strategic submarines might be intended to help counter threats from an assertive China.
Stressing that the fundamentals of the Seoul-Washington alliance are "stronger than ever," the diplomat also said that the two countries are in "complete alignment" on North Korea, and reaffirmed the United States' "ironclad" deterrence commitment to South Korea.
"President Trump also expressed U.S. support for the ROK to build nuclear-propelled, conventionally-armed submarines, working together with us to identify and address requirements and challenges," he said during the forum hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Korea Foundation. ROK is short for South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea.
"This is a clear example of bilateral cooperation that advances our collective capabilities against regional threats," he added.
After his second summit with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in Korea in late October, Trump announced his approval for Seoul to build the submarines. The approval came as Washington called for allies to bolster their defense spending and capabilities at a time when it seeks to counter the "pacing threat" from China.
In a recently released joint fact sheet outlining bilateral security and trade agreements, Seoul and Washington pointed out their leaders' agreement to enhance the U.S. conventional deterrence posture against "all regional threats" to the alliance — language that apparently reflects the United States' call for Seoul to contribute to deterring Chinese threats.
Touching on North Korea policy, Fritz underlined that Seoul and Washington remain aligned.
"We continue to call for the complete denuclearization of the DPRK," he said. DPRK is short for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
"Both Presidents Trump and Lee support meaningful dialogue with the DPRK, and have called on it to abide by its international obligations, including abandoning its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs."
Moreover, he pointed out the allies' maritime security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, though he did not mention China by name.
"We will also work closely with the ROK and other partners across the Indo-Pacific to uphold the International Law of the Sea and peace and stability, whether in the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea or elsewhere in the region," he said.
Calling the Asian ally "absolutely key" to Trump's commitment to reindustrializing America, the official reiterated the need for South Korea's continued investments in the United States and for its personnel to get those investments "up and running."
His remarks came as Seoul and Washington have been working to improve a U.S. visa system for skilled South Korean workers following an immigration crackdown at a Korean plant site in Georgia that led to the detention of more than 300 Korean workers.
"President Trump has also been very clear that we welcome Koreans to come to our country temporarily to train American workers in these high-precision jobs," he said. "We are committed to ensuring qualified personnel can travel to the U.S. to support the ROK's historic investments here in the U.S. manufacturing."
He reported "great progress" on the visa issue, including the establishment of the Korea Investment and Trade Desk at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul to support Korean workers' "specialized" travel to the United States.
Yonhap
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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