South Korea says nuclear sub plan still calls for local build

South Korea’s presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae, reiterated Friday that its plan to construct nuclear-powered submarines domestically has not been altered, despite recent security discussions with the U.S. A senior official stated that talks with Washington on uranium enrichment, spent fuel reprocessing, and submarine development were ‘productive and useful,’ with no major policy shifts announced. The official clarified that while no deadline has been set, Seoul aims to produce concrete results by year’s end. Discussions on enrichment and reprocessing are advancing under a ‘trust-based’ framework, with no additional denuclearization demands. The official noted that progress depends on revising existing agreements, with talks now entering a ‘full-fledged phase.’ On wartime operational control, the official said Seoul and Washington share ‘little difference’ in views, with conditions assessed as over 90% met years ago. A slight timing gap of ‘one year-plus’ remains but is considered adjustable. The two allies held formal talks in Seoul this week, following earlier bilateral agreements on nuclear cooperation and submarine development. The official emphasized that coordination on timing is progressing smoothly, with no major obstacles. The discussions also included an ‘umbrella’ consultation framework to guide future nuclear-related agreements. Both sides remain committed to advancing these initiatives without imposing new restrictions.