Washington and Seoul Agree to Deepen Cooperation on Nuclear-Powered Submarine Programme

Reuters

The South Korean and American flags fly next to each other at Yongin, South Korea, 23 August 2016.

The United States and South Korea have agreed to expand defence cooperation on Seoul’s pursuit of a nuclear-powered submarine, following talks held in Seoul on Monday between U.S. Under Secretary of Defence for Policy Elbridge Colby and South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back, according to South Korea’s Ministry of National Defence.

Colby’s visit marks his first overseas trip since assuming office and comes amid clear signals from Washington that it expects South Korea to assume a more prominent leadership role in deterring North Korea on the Korean Peninsula.

In an official statement, the ministry said both sides regarded cooperation on a nuclear-powered submarine as a strategic step that would significantly enhance South Korea’s capacity to lead the defence of the peninsula, while simultaneously elevating the depth and effectiveness of the U.S.–South Korea security alliance.

The discussions follow the release of the Pentagon’s new National Defense Strategy on Friday, which outlined expectations for a “more limited” U.S. role in deterring North Korea, with primary responsibility increasingly shifting to Seoul.

During the talks, Defence Minister Ahn also urged accelerated progress on the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) from the United States to South Korea and called for closer coordination on follow-up measures within the alliance framework, the ministry added.

Colby, who serves as the Pentagon’s top official for defence and foreign policy planning, described South Korea as a “model ally” in a post on X upon his arrival in Seoul, highlighting its commitment to increasing defence expenditure in line with U.S. regional security strategy.

South Korea currently hosts approximately 28,500 U.S. troops and last year pledged to raise defence spending to 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product. U.S. officials, including Colby, have praised the move as a key pillar in strengthening Seoul’s deterrence posture against North Korea and reinforcing alliance burden-sharing.

Source: Reuters



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