South Korea begins its nuclear submarine race after Trump gives the green light

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Seoul has received official support from Donald Trump for the construction of nuclear submarines, the first of which is to be assembled at the Philadelphia shipyards. This decision, welcomed by the South Korean Defense Minister, should enable South Korea to significantly strengthen its military capacity and compete technically with North Korea, whose rapid advances are causing concern in the region. Pyongyang has not yet responded publicly, but countermeasures are expected.

Military competition is intensifying on the peninsula: on the South Korean side, nuclear submarines would offer greater speed and endurance and could mark a move towards independent nuclear capability, despite the non-proliferation treaty. Experts and academics in Seoul confirm that North Korea's weapons have been modernized, thanks in particular to Russia's contribution of miniaturized reactors to Pyongyang.

The regional landscape is clouded by uncertainty over the US security guarantee, which is perceived as increasingly unreliable, and by the rise of China, which is massively developing its naval and military capabilities. Japan is also investing in its defense and multiplying security partnerships, while Taiwan is increasing its arms purchases. As US deterrence becomes more uncertain, the arms race is accelerating throughout Northeast Asia, fueled by the rivalry between South Korea and North Korea, but also by the activism of Beijing and Moscow.

While Pyongyang has recently stepped up its missile and artillery tests, South Korea has acknowledged that we are entering an era in which the balance of power and relative peace are crumbling. The use of nuclear propulsion for South Korean submarines could eventually pave the way for new strategic capabilities. DW

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