South Korea Unveils Nuclear Submarine Development Plan, But Hurdles Remain

The government has unveiled its plan to acquire nuclear-powered submarines, announcing the basic development plan under the 'Jang Bogo N Project.'

To bring this plan to fruition, the government is reviewing funding measures and considering the establishment of a 'Nuclear Submarine Special Act' to manage separate accounting for nuclear submarine projects, ensuring stable budget allocation.

The South Korean Navy has formally requested the introduction of nuclear-powered submarines, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff is understood to have completed its review.

Moon Keun-sik, a special professor at Hanyang University's Graduate School of Public Policy, evaluated that while South Korea's technological capacity for building nuclear submarines is sufficient, fuel supply and budget acquisition are the key challenges, emphasizing the need for legislative support, such as the enactment of a special law.

The government plans to launch the first vessel in the mid-2030s and deploy it for operations from the late 2030s onwards.