Can South Korea Afford the Many Costs of Nuclear

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

A Trumpian promise may be hard to deliver.

The USS Vermont, a U.S. nuclear-powered attack submarine, arrives at HMAS Stirling naval base in Perth, Australia, on Oct. 29. November 19, 2025, 3:50 PM Comment icon View Comments ( )

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 state