The South Korean government has begun formal consultations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) بشأن introducing nuclear-powered submarines.
However, the start of consultations does not mean that all conditions for nuclear fuel supplies or submarine construction have been determined.
The key issue is not the name “nuclear submarine,” but the order in which fuel, safeguards, and design must be coordinated.
3-Line Summary
1. Nuclear-powered submarines are different from nuclear weapons.
2. IAEA consultations are the starting point of the official process.
3. Nuclear fuel conditions determine the design schedule.
Procedures Remaining After Notification to the IAEA
According to a NewsPim column, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said that South Korea had officially notified the agency of its intention to begin consultations under a separate arrangement pursuant to Article 14 of the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (CSA) and had submitted relevant materials. This moved into the formal process discussions on the international safeguards required when nuclear material is used for naval nuclear propulsion.
A nuclear-powered submarine is a submarine that uses nuclear energy as its propulsion power; it does not mean a nuclear weapon. However, if a non-nuclear-weapon state uses nuclear material for military nuclear propulsion, it must establish verification and management methods with the IAEA to ensure that the material is not diverted to nuclear weapons or nuclear explosive devices.
The column assessed this notification as a necessary starting point while noting that it could not be regarded as the final achievement. It explained that consultations would still be needed on records of nuclear-material movements, management before and after the material is loaded onto the submarine, the scope of military-secrecy protections, and the handling of nuclear fuel after use.
Nuclear Fuel Conditions Can Change the Hull Design
Nuclear fuel is not a secondary item in diplomatic consultations; it is close to the starting point of submarine design. This is because the size and output of the reactor, the fuel’s enrichment level and service life, and the cooling method must be determined before the size and layout of the engineering compartments, the hull’s center of gravity, the propulsion system, and radiation-shielding equipment can be specified.
Therefore, if fuel conditions change late in the process, the already developed hull design may need to be revised, not just the reactor. The NewsPim column reported that the government had presented targets of launching the first vessel in the mid-2030s and putting it into service in the late 2030s, while noting that these were government targets and could not necessarily be regarded as confirmation that construction had been finalized.
Even if consultations with the IAEA are completed, the question of which country will supply the actual fuel and under what conditions must be resolved separately with the supplier country. The column explained that if U.S.-origin nuclear material or technology subject to U.S. consent rights is used, the U.S.-ROK Agreement for Nuclear Energy Cooperation, U.S. domestic law, and the supplier country’s consent rights would also be subject to review.
What the United States Requested Was a “Reason for Possession”
At a media briefing held in Hawaii on September 9, a U.S. Navy official said, in essence, that South Korea itself must present valid reasons why it should possess nuclear-powered submarines and explain their operational purpose. According to a News1 report, he said that introducing them as a symbol of national standing would be misguided.
The South Korean government has cited self-reliant defense, reducing the burden on U.S. forces, and responding to North Korean submarine-based nuclear and missile threats as necessary reasons. U.S. officials, meanwhile, have emphasized linking the submarines to deterring China. Even when discussing the same introduction program, the two countries differ in the operational purposes they prioritize, making this a key variable in the consultations.
Accordingly, the point to watch in this matter is not simply the fact that IAEA consultations have begun, but whether nuclear-fuel supplies, nonproliferation procedures, and the actual operational purpose are documented within a framework that aligns them with one another.
References
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