The most recent on the nuclear sub deal between the U.S. and South Korea : NPR

JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:

Here is an announcement. Quote, “the times of america propping up your complete world order like Atlas are over.” That declare comes from the brand new U.S. Nationwide Safety Technique launched this month. The doc says that the U.S. will shift a few of the burden of protection to its allies, and it’ll equip them for it. For one ally, gear means nuclear submarines for South Korea. NPR’s Anthony Kuhn studies from Seoul.

ANTHONY KUHN, BYLINE: On the finish of October, President Trump sat down with South Korean president Lee Jae Myung on the sidelines of a regional summit within the metropolis of Gyeongju. Lee made the case to Trump for buying nuclear subs.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

PRESIDENT LEE JAE MYUNG: (Via interpreter) The restricted underwater vary of diesel submarines restricts our potential to trace subs on the North Korea or Chinese language aspect.

KUHN: That was a candid comment, as South Korea is often cautious to not counsel that it may use its army towards China. Lee added…

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

LEE: (Via interpreter) These submarines may conduct protection operations within the waters across the Korean peninsula and considerably scale back the burden on U.S. forces.

KUHN: President Trump agreed to Lee’s request. South Korea says the 2 allies will signal a treaty authorizing the subs’ acquisition. However South Korea’s underwater ambitions nonetheless face challenges. North Korea is constructing its personal nuclear-powered subs, probably with assist from Russia. Then there’s the talk over whether or not the U.S. or South Korea ought to construct the subs. President Trump has urged that they be constructed at shipyards in Philadelphia, however South Korea’s protection minister and others have questioned whether or not they have the required workforce, experience and infrastructure. Retired South Korean navy captain Yoon Suk Joon argues for purchasing the subs.

YOON SUK JOON: (Via interpreter) I’ve a considerably unfavourable view about constructing our personal nuclear submarines, which requires a big funding of money and time.

KUHN: Yoon additionally argues that subs are usually not essentially your best option for deterring North Korea, because the waters across the Korean peninsula are too shallow for submarines to maneuver round with out being noticed.

The U.S. has concepts about what to do with the subs. Admiral Daryl Caudle, the U.S. Navy’s chief of naval operations, spoke about this on a go to to Seoul final month.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

DARYL CAUDLE: The utilization of that submarine for counter-China, I feel, is a pure expectation. With that sort of functionality, I feel america would count on partnership, once more, working as an alliance collectively to fulfill our mixed objectives on what america considers to be our pacing menace, which is China.

KUHN: South Korea doesn’t formally classify China as a safety menace. The U.S.’s transfer to provide South Korea nuclear subs is in step with the just lately launched U.S. nationwide safety technique. That doc requires the U.S. to arm its allies to confront its adversaries whereas the U.S. focuses on the Western Hemisphere.

Kim Heungkyu is a political scientist and director of the China Coverage Institute at Ajou College outdoors Seoul. He says South Koreans are distrustful of this shift in U.S. technique, and whereas they will take the subs, it isn’t simply to assist the U.S.

KIM HEUNGKYU: (Via interpreter) In a brand new worldwide order with out the U.S. within the Western Pacific, South Korea wants a survival technique primarily based on nuclear weapons. That is one thing that politicians, each conservatives and liberals, are actually realizing.

KUHN: Kim says the U.S. faces three decisions in Asia. First, it may defend its allies extra assertively. Second, it may allow them to get nuclear weapons to defend themselves. Or third, it may go away them to fall into China’s sphere of affect. Japan and South Korea do not just like the third possibility, Kim says, and no matter U.S. ambitions in Asia, he sees its affect as waning. So nuclear weapons are the one possibility left, and the submarines are a step in that path.

Anthony Kuhn, NPR Information, Seoul.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

Copyright © 2025 NPR. All rights reserved. Go to our web site phrases of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for additional info.

Accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts might differ. Transcript textual content could also be revised to appropriate errors or match updates to audio. Audio on npr.org could also be edited after its authentic broadcast or publication. The authoritative report of NPR’s programming is the audio report.