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A South Korean flag flies over Seoul. Photo: Kim Jae-Hwan/SOPA Images/Light

South Korea plans to build and launch its first nuclear-powered submarine by the mid-2030s, a move in part meant to counter the growing arsenal of its neighbor, North Korea.

Why it matters: This massive undertaking will test the country's shipbuilding sector — often lauded in the U.S. — as well as international nonproliferation obligations.