South Korea eyes US permission to build nuclear submarines High-level talks about to start

South Korea may need to pursue a separate bilateral accord with the US to secure the right to build nuclear-powered submarines, the country’s National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac has said.

Speaking to reporters after arriving in Washington to meet with senior US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Wi Sung-lac pointed to Australia as a precedent, noting that Canberra had obtained an exemption under Section 91 of the US Atomic Energy Act through a standalone agreement with Washington, Caliber.Az reports per Bloomberg.

The exemption allowed Canberra to sign the Aukus accord with the US and UK in 2021.

Wi said Section 91 allows the U.S. president to authorise the transfer of military nuclear materials, and Seoul is considering this mechanism as a potential way to bypass the restrictions embedded in the existing U.S.-South Korea civilian nuclear cooperation agreement.

In addition to nuclear submarines, discussions will cover cooperation on enriched uranium and spent fuel reprocessing.

The security adviser also noted that the meetings with U.S. officials will provide an opportunity to exchange views on the regional situation and consult with the United Nations.  

He emphasised that progress will be much faster when the presidential administration and the White House are directly involved.

This follows a November 2025 joint fact sheet from summits between South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and US President Donald Trump, where the US expressed support for South Korea's nuclear submarine ambitions—amid North Korean threats and regional tensions. However, legal hurdles remain, and Wi's comments highlight the need for a tailored mechanism similar to AUKUS to bypass existing restrictions.

By Khagan Isayev