Jeonju, South Korea – US President Donald Trump said on social media on Thursday that the United States will share technology that would allow South Korea to build a nuclear-powered submarine. Meeting with the president of the country.
President Lee Jae-myung confirmed to Trump At their meeting on Wednesday The goal was to modernize the alliance with the United States, pointing to plans to increase military spending to reduce the financial burden on America.
The South Korean leader said there may have been a misunderstanding when they last talked in August about nuclear-powered submarines, saying his government was looking for nuclear fuel rather than weapons.
Lee said South Korea’s current diesel-powered submarines have limitations in tracking other countries’ submarine activities. He added that if South Korea is equipped with nuclear-powered submarines, it could help US activities in the region.
Diesel-powered submarines have to surface regularly to recharge their batteries. But nuclear-powered submarines have superior endurance and can stay underwater much longer.
Trump said in a separate post that the country will build its nuclear-powered submarine at the Philly shipyard, which South Korea’s Hanwha Group bought last year.
It was not clear the size or cost of the subproject, but South Korea said in talks with Trump that it had pledged $150 billion to invest in the project. US shipbuilding capacity.
US nuclear submarine technology is widely considered some of the most sensitive technology the military possesses. The United States has been incredibly protective of that knowledge, even… An agreement with close allies was recently announced The UK and Australia’s recent assistance in acquiring nuclear submarine technology does not involve the US transferring its knowledge directly.
Trump’s social media post comes before his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, whose country It has nuclear submarinesAnd after North Korea in March Detection of a nuclear-powered submarine for the first time under construction. It is a weapons system that could pose a major security threat to South Korea and the United States
While Trump visited South Korea, North Korea said on Wednesday that it had done so Conducted successful tests of cruise missilesthe latest display of its growing military capabilities.
Pentagon officials did not immediately respond to questions about Trump’s announcement about sharing subnuclear technology with South Korea.
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Bock reported from Tokyo. Associated Press writer Konstantin Torobin contributed to this report from Washington.