President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a Cabinet meeting and emergency economic review session at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Tuesday. Joint Press CorpsKorea is seeking to build its first nuclear-powered submarine by mid-2030s, the government said Tuesday, adding that construction will be done domestically.It also pledged to use low-enriched uranium fuel and comply with international nonproliferation obligations. The Ministry of National Defense announced the country's first road map for the development of nuclear submarines, laying out the government’s approach to developing and acquiring the platform and publicly presenting the framework for the project.The plan comes after an agreement reached during a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump last October, when Washington expressed support for Seoul's development of a nuclear submarine and its pursuit of civilian uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing for peaceful purposes. Under the road map, the government set a goal of launching its first nuclear submarine in the mid-2030s and deploying it in the late 2030s.The ministry also said that shipbuilding will be done domestically, rather than at a U.S. shipyard, in an effort to secure self-reliance in acquisition, maintenance and long-term operations. It will be able to take advantage of Korea’s top-class civilian nuclear and shipbuilding technologies and manage the project across the vessel’s entire life cycle, from design and construction to operation, maintenance and decommissioning.Seoul said the submarines will use low-enriched uranium fuel and long-cycle reactor operations to minimize refueling requirements. Officials said the approach is intended to improve operational endurance while remaining within nonproliferation boundaries.The ministry separately emphasized that the project will comply with international nonproliferation obligations, apparently seeking to distinguish the initiative from any nuclear weapons ambitions.It reaffirmed that Korea would neither possess nor develop nuclear weapons and said Seoul will work closely with Washington on the procurement and management of low-enriched uranium fuel.The government also pledged to work with the International Atomic Energy Agency to establish safeguards applicable to nuclear submarines.The government named the initiative the Jangbogo N project, with “N” standing for “next generation” and “nuclear-powered.” According to Cheong Wa Dae, the road map was finalized after about seven months of consultations led by the defense ministry with relevant agencies.The announcement comes as Seoul places greater emphasis on strengthening strategic capabilities amid rising global security uncertainties.Seoul and Washington are also preparing follow-up working-level talks.The two sides are expected to launch a bilateral working group next month to discuss cooperation on nuclear submarines and nuclear energy issues, including fuel-related matters and revisions linked to nuclear cooperation arrangements.Discussions on acquisition procedures are also believed to be underway within the military, though authorities have not publicly confirmed specific timelines or processes.Lee also reaffirmed his support for the project during a Cabinet meeting earlier in the day.“We must accelerate the transition to a future-oriented advanced military,” Lee said. “We should speed up the introduction of artificial intelligence and drone technologies and move faster on nuclear-powered submarines, a key strategic asset for future defense capabilities.”Lee also called for the swift advancement of wartime operational control transfer, saying it should proceed “without disruption” as part of efforts to strengthen the alliance.The ministry said the submarine project will extend beyond naval modernization, linking the shipbuilding, nuclear and defense industries as the government also pushes broader maritime and industrial development initiatives.Officials projected that technologies and infrastructure developed through the program could spill over into other industrial sectors over time.