Seoul: South Korea and the United States commenced high-profile security discussions on Tuesday to explore the implementation of agreements forged between their leaders, including South Korea's aspirations to acquire nuclear-powered conventionally armed submarines. The discussions marked the first day of a two-day inaugural meeting focusing on security provisions outlined in a bilateral joint fact sheet following an October summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the South Korean foreign ministry noted that the meeting was significant as it marked the resumption of long-delayed security consultations. Ministry spokesperson Park Il emphasized the importance of cooperation between South Korea and the U.S. in the nuclear sector, adding that such collaboration would strengthen the bilateral alliance. The first day concentrated on Seoul's push for nuclear-powered submarines, a move currently restricted under a bilateral nuclear pact with Washington.
The talks are set to continue on Wednesday, with discussions shifting to other security matters, including Seoul's uranium enrichment and spent nuclear fuel reprocessing capabilities, which are essential for the envisioned nuclear-powered submarines. Additionally, the agenda includes expanding shipbuilding cooperation between the two nations.
The joint fact sheet, released in November, outlines commitments from both countries, including nuclear sector cooperation and other security-related endeavors. It also includes Seoul's pledge to invest US$350 billion in the U.S. in return for reduced U.S. tariff rates. The South Korean delegation, led by First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo, comprised officials from various ministries, while the U.S. delegation was led by Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker.
The inaugural meeting, co-chaired by Park and Hooker, involved detailed discussions directed by the National Security Office at Cheong Wa Dae and the White House NSC. The meeting had been postponed earlier in the year due to other U.S. priorities but working-level discussions had persisted.
In a social media post, Hooker expressed her satisfaction in launching discussions to advance bilateral nuclear cooperation and hoped for continued progress in the relationship. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, in a recent interview, stated that South Korea aims to revise the existing bilateral nuclear energy pact to allow uranium enrichment and spent nuclear fuel reprocessing, alongside aspirations for more significant cooperation in nuclear-powered submarines and shipbuilding.
As part of these ambitions, South Korea recently unveiled a roadmap for developing nuclear-powered submarines, with the first planned launch in the mid-2030s. Hooker also engaged in separate discussions with Jeong Yeon-doo, Seoul's vice foreign minister, on regional and mutual interests and was scheduled for further meetings with other senior officials.