Nuclear submarine will symbolize our will for self-defense: opposition leader Lee

Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung asserted that South Korea's development of a nuclear-powered submarine would serve as a powerful symbol of the nation's resolve to secure its own peace and security. Speaking at the first Future Defense Strategy Committee meeting in Changwon, Lee stressed the fundamental importance of self-defense for any nation.

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A nuclear-powered submarine, which will be built based on a strong ROK-US alliance, will be a symbol of our will to take responsibility for peace and security on the Korean Peninsula ourselves.

"A country that cannot defend itself is unthinkable," Lee stated, emphasizing that true national completeness lies in robust self-defense capabilities. He linked the regaining of wartime operational control to this goal, viewing it as a crucial step in solidifying South Korea's role as the primary defender of the Korean Peninsula.

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A country that cannot defend itself is unthinkable. A nation that defends itself is the complete form of a nation.

Lee further indicated that detailed plans for regaining operational control, including the transition timeline, would be finalized through close consultations with the United States. He acknowledged the rapidly evolving global security landscape and the transformation of modern warfare, noting that future battlefields will be dominated by artificial intelligence, big data, drones, and robots, rather than sheer troop numbers.

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The regaining of wartime operational control is a core element of self-defense and will be an opportunity to further clarify the status of the Republic of Korea as the entity defending the Korean Peninsula.