South Korea, U.S. begin nuclear submarine talks, 6 months after fact sheet release

South Korea and the United States have initiated security consultations in Seoul, marking a significant step in advancing their nuclear cooperation. The two-day meeting, which began Tuesday, is a follow-up to the agreement reached during the November 2023 summit between the two nations.

A delegation of U.S. officials from the State Department, Department of Defense, and Department of Energy are in Seoul to discuss key issues including the potential introduction of nuclear-powered submarines, expanded uranium enrichment rights, and the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. The talks are being co-chaired by South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Park Yun-ju and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs, Allison Hooker.

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Park Il, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that the kickoff meeting signifies that the delayed security consultations have begun and are back on track.

This kickoff meeting, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aims to bring the stalled security discussions back on track. The South Korean government had been pursuing these negotiations since early this year, but they were delayed due to various factors, including investment issues and regional tensions. With the initial meeting now underway, both sides plan to focus on consolidating key agenda items over the next few sessions.

Discussions on the first day reportedly centered on the construction of nuclear-powered submarines and fuel procurement. The agenda for the second day includes talks on enrichment and reprocessing. South Korea is emphasizing the peaceful use of nuclear energy to address U.S. concerns regarding nuclear proliferation, while seeking to expand its own capabilities in uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing. U.S. Assistant Secretary Hooker expressed optimism on X, formerly Twitter, stating, "Pleased to kick off discussions with the U.S.-ROK working group to advance our nuclear cooperation vision. Expect continued progress across our bilateral relationship in the years ahead."

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Pleased to kick off discussions with the U.S.-ROK working group to advance our nuclear cooperation vision. Expect continued progress across our bilateral relationship in the years ahead.