US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday said that the US will work closely with South Korea on nuclear submarines and called ties with Seoul “vital.”
Speaking at a joint news conference alongside South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back after the annual Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) in Seoul, Hegseth said the two sides agreed to strengthen defence cooperation, modernise the alliance, and expand joint industrial collaboration.
“We’re going to work closely with the Department of State and the Department of Energy to fulfill President Trump’s commitment,” he said.
On Thursday, President Donald Trump said that he has approved South Korea’s plan to build a nuclear-powered submarine.
The South Korean Defence Ministry on Thursday said that Seoul could launch a nuclear-powered submarine in the mid-to-late 2030s with homegrown technology.
Hegseth also called the alliance between South Korea and the US “stronger than ever” and said for the first time the two countries agreed to maintain and repair the US warships in Korean shipyards.
“Our historic alliance is stronger than ever before and is vital to the Asia Pacific,” said the US defence chief.
Modernising the alliance