South Korea Formally Tells IAEA It Wants Talks on Nuclear-Powered Submarine Plans

South Korea has formally told the International Atomic Energy Agency that it wants to begin consultations on a separate arrangement covering nuclear material used for its planned nuclear-powered submarines.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi disclosed the notification in his opening remarks at the agency’s board meeting in Vienna on the 7th. He said South Korea had informed the IAEA Secretariat of its intention to start consultations under Article 14 of its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and had submitted relevant notification documents.

The step signals Seoul’s intention to move faster on its nuclear-powered submarine plans while a second security consultation with the United States is taking longer than expected. That consultation also concerns expanded authority for uranium enrichment and spent nuclear fuel reprocessing.

South Korea belongs to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. As a non-nuclear-weapon state party, it is barred from diverting nuclear material such as uranium to nuclear weapons development. However, Article 14 of the safeguards agreements held by most non-nuclear-weapon states allows separate arrangements for nuclear material used in military purposes that are not prohibited, the report said.

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South Korea has officially notified the Secretariat of its intention to begin consultations with the IAEA on a separate arrangement under Article 14 of the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and has submitted relevant notification materials to the IAEA.