Washington: South Korea and the United States have agreed to swiftly launch working groups to facilitate follow-up negotiations on recent summit agreements. These agreements encompass Seoul's plans to build nuclear-powered submarines and pursue civil uranium enrichment rights, as announced by the South Korean foreign ministry.
According to Yonhap News Agency, First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo emphasized the need for these working groups during discussions with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau in Washington on Monday. This meeting marked the first high-level follow-up dialogue since the release of the joint fact sheet on November 14.
The ministry stated that both officials recognized the necessity of promptly initiating sectoral working groups to ensure thorough implementation of follow-up measures in critical areas, including nuclear energy, shipbuilding, and nuclear-powered submarines. Vice Minister Park requested expedited talks between Seoul and Washington regarding civil uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing capabilities.
Landau, in response, agreed on the importance of close communication between the two nations on these matters, as per the ministry's readout. The joint fact sheet outlines commitments on trade, investment, and security made during the two recent summits between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump in August and October.
The document also indicates U.S. support for South Korea's process to pursue civil uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing for peaceful purposes, aligning with their bilateral nuclear energy pact and subject to U.S. legal requirements. Additionally, the U.S. has approved South Korea's construction of nuclear-powered attack submarines and committed to advancing requirements to facilitate these efforts, including fuel sourcing.
Under the bilateral 123 Agreement, South Korea can only engage in uranium enrichment for civil purposes or reprocess spent fuel with U.S. consent, following bilateral consultations in line with governing treaties and regulations. This agreement effectively restricts Seoul from independently conducting these activities.
Attention is now on how both allies will proceed with the implementation of the fact sheet agreements, especially concerning uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing capabilities. The two sides also committed to collaborating on follow-up talks related to nuclear-powered submarines and shipbuilding cooperation.
Park further informed his counterpart of Seoul's efforts to implement its fact sheet commitments and requested corresponding measures from the U.S., including reducing tariffs on South Korean goods. Regarding the U.S. visa system for South Korean investors, Park mentioned progress with the establishment of a dedicated visa desk for Korean businesses and urged Landau to ensure their smooth entry into the U.S.
After the talks, Park told reporters that both sides would designate officials responsible for the follow-up fact sheet negotiations among relevant government agencies. "The U.S. will assign its representatives, and we will create our own task force to coordinate with them," he stated.
During his Washington visit, Park also plans to meet with officials from the State Department handling Korea affairs and the White House National Security Council to discuss follow-up steps after the summits and issues related to North Korea, according to the ministry.
In a separate readout, the U.S. State Department noted that the discussions included the implementation of the joint fact sheet, focusing on modernizing the U.S.-ROK Alliance and shipbuilding cooperation. Tommy Pigott, principal deputy spokesperson, highlighted that the alliance has been a cornerstone of peace, security, and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and throughout the Indo-Pacific region for over 70 years.
Deputy Secretary Landau also welcomed South Korea's significant investment in American manufacturing across strategic sectors such as shipbuilding, reiterating that Korean investment plays a crucial role in U.S. reindustrialization efforts.