South Korea to build nuclear submarines in American shipyards: Trump

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that his administration has approved South Korea to build a nuclear-powered submarine. The American leader made the major announcement a day after he finalised an agreement that calls for South Korea to invest a whopping $350 billion in the US economy.

Both moves are part of a wider trade pact that South Korea’s new President Lee Jae Myung was hoping to reach during a bilateral meeting between the two on Wednesday. “Our Military Alliance is stronger than ever before and, based on that, I have given them approval to build a Nuclear Powered Submarine, rather than the old-fashioned, and far less nimble, diesel-powered Submarines that they have now,” the president wrote on Truth Social during a multiday visit to South Korea.

He mentioned that the submarine will be built in Philadelphia, as the president and lawmakers seek foreign investments as a way to boost the American shipbuilding industry. It is important to note that a South Korean company bought the Philly shipyard last year.

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Why it matters

What makes the move significant is that the United States is known to have shared nuclear propulsion with only the United Kingdom and, recently, Australia, as part of the 2021 AUKUS agreement, which will see the two countries help Australia build a new class of nuclear-powered subs. 

For decades, America has kept the sensitive technology a secret. However, the growing threat from China's military buildup in the Indo-Pacific region has led allies to look to buy more advanced weaponry from the United States.

However, it is pertient to note that the shipyard Trump talked about in the post is not currently equipped to handle nuclear material or build military ships, given that it’s a strictly commercial facility. “As President Trump and President Lee make shipbuilding a central plank in the U.S.-Korea alliance, Hanwha stands ready to support with our advanced shipbuilding scale,” said Alex Wong, Hanwha’s chief strategy officer, in a statement.

“Through Hanwha Philly Shipyard and other investments and partnerships, a revived American shipbuilding sector will benefit US workers, foster prosperity for both the United States and Korea, and enhance our nations’ shared security,” Wong added.

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The deal and the location of construction raise questions about how long it will take the facility to be ready for this kind of highly specialised and sensitive work that requires a trained and skilled workforce, and how much it will cost to completely overhaul the facility.

It is pertinent to note that Huntington Ingalls Industries, the American company responsible for building nuclear-powered submarines, already faces two to three-year construction delays to build Virginia-class nuclear submarines, and 18 to 24-month delays to build the first boat in the new Columbia-class submarines, Politico reported. China is yet to respond to the matter.