South Korea drafts law to launch nuclear‑powered submarine program

South Korea’s Defense Ministry released a draft bill to provide a legal foundation for the Jang Bogo N project, which aims to build at least three 8,000‑ton conventionally armed nuclear‑propelled attack submarines by the mid‑2030s. The legislation calls for the use of high‑assay low‑enriched uranium (HALEU) as fuel and includes provisions that the program will not develop, manufacture or possess nuclear weapons, reaffirming South Korea’s commitment to the Nuclear Non‑Proliferation Treaty and cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The draft also seeks to expedite procurement by exempting the program from standard feasibility studies and other procedural steps, and it will remain open for public comment until 7 September before being submitted to the National Assembly. The move follows US approval granted after summit talks between President Lee Jae‑Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump, and Defense Minister Ahn Gyu‑back highlighted the program as the first weapon system integrating nuclear energy with a conventional armament.