South Korea has announced plans to launch its first nuclear-powered submarine programme in 2027…
However, negotiations with the United States over the supply of nuclear fuel for the submarines have yet to reach an agreement.
The submarine is expected to have a displacement of approximately 8,000 tonnes and be powered by a small nuclear reactor using low-enriched uranium with an enrichment level of below 20 percent.
Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries are expected to compete for the contract to design and build the submarine’s hull.
The system development plan is scheduled to be prepared in the first half of 2027, with the contract expected to be signed by the end of the year.
The first submarine is targeted for launch in the mid-2030s, with commissioning planned towards the end of the decade.
However, the lack of an agreement with the United States on nuclear fuel supply and the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel continues to cast uncertainty over the programme’s launch…