Can South Korea Afford the Many Costs of Nuclear-Powered Submarines?

To date, only nuclear-armed states have developed and deployed nuclear-powered submarines. But South Korea would not be the first nonnuclear state to pursue this technologically difficult and politically sensitive capability. Australia and Brazil are in the midst of the long process of acquiring SSNs.

Hours before President Donald Trump announced a return to U.S. nuclear testing “ on an equal basis ,” he made another surprise announcement : He had given South Korea “approval to build a Nuclear Powered Submarine.” Acquiring a conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine, or SSN, has been on South Korea’s defense wish list for years—but even Seoul was caught off guard. This proposed capability raises critical questions that lack clear answers.

Hours before President Donald Trump announced a return to U.S. nuclear testing “on an equal basis,” he made another surprise announcement: He had given South Korea “approval to build a Nuclear Powered Submarine.” Acquiring a conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine, or SSN, has been on South Korea’s defense wish list for years—but even Seoul was caught off guard. This proposed capability raises critical questions that lack clear answers.

To date, only nuclear-armed states have developed and deployed nuclear-powered submarines. But South Korea would not be the first nonnuclear state to pursue this technologically difficult and politically sensitive capability. Australia and Brazil are in the midst of the long process of acquiring SSNs.

The Australian and Brazilian SSN models are distinct in design, nuclear fuel type and sources of supply, and the depth of foreign