As U.S. President Donald Trump said he had "approved allowing Korea to build nuclear-powered submarines," interest has grown in nuclear-powered submarines (SSN; Submersible Ship-Nuclear powered), but it is expected to take a long time to actually acquire them.
Trump plans to have nuclear-powered submarines built at Hanwha Group's Philly Shipyard in the United States, but the yard has no submarine-related construction facilities. It is expected to take at least several years to establish them. There are also issues to resolve, such as a nuclear agreement.
Minister Ahn Gyu-baek of the Ministry of National Defense said at the National Defense Committee's audit on the 30th, "We will have to consult with the Navy, but if nuclear-powered submarines are built, I think we will need at least four." If the plan to build nuclear-powered submarines proceeds, they are expected to be 5,000 tons or larger and use low-enriched uranium fuel of 20% or less.
In the industry, some see it taking more than 10 years until they are operationally deployed. Philly Shipyard has only two docks (Dock; shipbuilding space) measuring 330 m × 45 m and lacks radiation inspection equipment or shielding facilities to conceal submarines. A shipbuilding industry official said, "Domestic companies have never built nuclear-powered submarines, so even shipping materials to the United States is not easy. We also have to verify reactor technology, so it will take considerable time to refurbish facilities."
A revision of the South Korea–U.S. nuclear agreement is also necessary. The current agreement, revised in 2015 and applicable through 2035, contains a "ban on military applications" clause. During the revision process, there is talk of removing the "exclusion of military purposes" provision or of the South Korean and U.S. governments signing a separate agreement related to military nuclear fuel. It is expected to take considerable time to revise the agreement as well.
Hanwha is said to be watching for further consultations between the South Korean and U.S. governments for nuclear-powered submarines. Hanwha Group has said it will invest $5 billion to expand Philly Shipyard's building capacity to 20 ships per year, and the investment direction will vary depending on whether nuclear-powered submarines are built. A Hanwha Group official said, "We plan to actively cooperate with the South Korean and U.S. governments" and added, "We are ready to support with state-of-the-art shipbuilding technology."
The military authorities believe nuclear-powered submarines can be secured within 10 years. Navy Chief of Staff Kang Dong-gil appeared at the audit that day and, in response to a question from People Power Party lawmaker Yu Yong-weon asking "When does construction of Jang Bogo-III Batch-III begin?" said, "The start time has not been decided. Even if a decision is made, it will take around 10 years, so the completion (of construction) will be after the mid-2030s."
Defense Acquisition Program Administration Commissioner Seok Jong-geon appeared at the audit that day and said, "Looking at advanced countries' cases, it typically takes about 10 years (to build nuclear-powered submarines), but if we integrate domestic capabilities, we can shorten that somewhat." When asked whether small reactor technology has already been secured, he added, "We have prepared technology for the future, and through such technology, we believe we can secure (nuclear-powered submarines) in a short period of time."