Eliot Kang, former U.S. assistant secretary of state for international security and nonproliferation, speaks during a press conference on the sidelines of the Jeju Forum on Jeju Island, Friday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
SEOGWIPO, Jeju Island — Korea's pursuit of nuclear-powered submarines still faces a long road ahead despite Seoul's hopes of producing tangible results with Washington, according to Eliot Kang, former U.S. assistant secretary of state for international security and nonproliferation.
"It may take more than a year. This is not simply up to the executive branch of the United States government," Kang said during a press conference on the sidelines of the Jeju Forum, Friday.
He said the initiative requires significant changes to the fundamental civil nuclear cooperation between the two allies.
"In order to have supply nuclear material from the U.S for military use, we must have another separate agreement," he added. "It's probably a mutual defense agreement."
