South Korea promotes "underwater nuclear shield"

On May 26, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung instructed the government to accelerate plans to develop nuclear-powered submarines, as Seoul strengthens its defense capabilities against nuclear and missile threats from North Korea.

South Korea is stepping up efforts to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. Photo: POSTMEDIA.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting, President Lee emphasized that South Korea needs to quickly deploy new strategic assets, including nuclear submarines, artificial intelligence (AI), and drone technology, to enhance its future self-defense capabilities. President Lee stated, “Nuclear submarines are a core strategic asset for future defense capabilities. We need to accelerate their deployment along with AI and drone technology.”

According to documents released after the South Korea-U.S. summit late last year, Washington expressed support for Seoul's development of nuclear-powered attack submarines that use conventional weapons. The U.S. also supports South Korea's pursuit of a civilian uranium enrichment program and the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel for peaceful purposes.

Alongside his military modernization plan, President Lee continued to push for the transfer of wartime operational command (OPCON) of the South Korean military from the United States to Seoul. He argued that regaining military control would strengthen its self-defense capabilities and enhance its standing in its alliances.

Lee emphasized, "Our allies will respect us more when South Korea demonstrates its determination to defend itself," and called for the OPCON handover process to be carried out quickly and on time.

Regaining wartime operational command is one of Lee's key commitments during his presidency, which runs until 2030.

At the meeting on May 26, President Lee Jae Myung also called for the deployment of all measures to build the military into a "strong, modern, and future-oriented" force, while emphasizing the need to upgrade defense capabilities in what he described as an "unforgettable reality" international environment where strength plays a decisive role.

The South Korean leader also called for strengthening the domestic defense industry, promoting new defense companies to become global market leaders in robotics, drones, and space technology, while simultaneously consolidating multilateral diplomacy . Lee stressed, "It is crucial to strive for peacebuilding to prevent war from breaking out," and highlighted the importance of strengthening multilateral security networks.

Thuy Ha

Source: Yonhap

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/han-quoc-thuc-day-la-chan-hat-nhan-duoi-bien-288936.htm