Trump says South Korea can build a nuclear-powered submarine

President Trump said Wednesday that South Korea can build a nuclear-powered submarine. 

“Our Military Alliance is stronger than ever before and, based on that, I have given them approval to build a Nuclear Powered Submarine, rather than the old fashioned, and far less nimble, diesel powered Submarines that they have now,” the president wrote on Truth Social during a multiday visit to South Korea.

Mr. Trump added that the submarine will be built in Philadelphia, as the president and lawmakers seek foreign investments as a way to boost the American shipbuilding industry. A South Korean company bought the Philly Shipyard last year.

During a meeting with Mr. Trump earlier Wednesday, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said he’s looking for U.S. support in getting nuclear fuel for submarines. He argued that shifting away from diesel-electric submarines — which typically have more limited ranges — would allow South Korea to help the U.S. Navy patrol the region.

“We’re not aiming for nuclear-armed submarines, but rather, conventionally armed submarines powered by nuclear energy,” Lee said through a translator, saying his country’s existing fleet has “limited capabilities” and “cannot really effectively monitor and counter any undersea activities from other countries.”

Nuclear-powered submarines are a key part of the U.S.’s naval fleet, and the advanced technology necessary to build them is closely guarded by U.S. officials. The Biden administration inked a deal with Australia to help the country build the submarines. 

The move could pose concerns for the U.S. and South Korea’s two mutual rivals in the region, North Korea and China. The Chinese navy has nuclear-powered submarines, and North Korea said earlier this year it had developed one. Mr. Trump is set to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea on Thursday local time, for talks that are expected to focus on trade.

Mr. Trump announced the submarine deal as part of a broader trade agreement with South Korea, the United States’ sixth-largest trading partner and a key military ally in the region. 

He said the country has agreed to “pay the USA” $350 billion, invest in U.S. industry, and buy American oil and gas in exchange for lower U.S. tariffs on South Korean imports. Mr. Trump outlined a similar deal over the summer, which called for 15% tariffs on South Korean goods.