Korea, US agree nuclear subs would serve as key alliance capability: official - The Korea Times

President Lee Jae Myung, center, receives a briefing from the defense ministry on the government's plan to develop nuclear submarines at a naval base in Jinhae, South Gyeongsang Province, May 26. Yonhap

Korea and the United States share the view that nuclear submarines, which Seoul is seeking to develop, would serve as a key alliance capability for the two countries, a foreign ministry official said Tuesday.

"The two countries share the view that our nuclear submarines would be an important alliance capability that would enable Korea to play a leading role in the defense of the Korean Peninsula," the official told reporters Tuesday.

The official made the remarks following inaugural bilateral talks on nuclear cooperation held in Seoul last week, where the two sides discussed Korea's envisioned nuclear submarine program.

Korea is pushing to build conventionally armed nuclear submarines following security agreements reached in a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump in October.