"Positioning as a U.S. MRO Hub Essential for Domestic Construction of Nuclear-Powered Submarines"

[Financial News] Experts suggest that, as a result of the South Korea–United States summit, it is necessary for South Korea to establish itself as a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) hub for the United States in order to domestically construct nuclear-powered submarines.
On the 4th, at the National Assembly Library of Korea, a forum titled "Discussion for the Successful Construction of Nuclear-Powered Submarines" was hosted by Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) lawmakers Boo Seung-chan, Kim Young-bae, and Kim Won-i. The consensus was that while South Korea has sufficient capabilities to build nuclear-powered submarines, U.S. cooperation is indispensable for domestic construction.
Moon Geun-sik, a special professor at Hanyang University Graduate School of Public Policy and chair of the forum, pointed out that the U.S. Seawolf-class submarine, an advanced nuclear-powered attack submarine, has been under repair for four years since a collision in the South China Sea in 2021. He noted that this situation reflects the bankruptcy of U.S. submarine suppliers.
Professor Moon stated, "(Shipbuilding) labor is both severely lacking and urgently needed in the United States, and our need for nuclear-powered submarines aligns with their interests." He added, "For companies entering the U.S. market, building production lines together presents an excellent opportunity to acquire know-how related to the production of U.S. nuclear-powered submarines." Additionally, Professor Moon emphasized, "If we seize this opportunity to assist with both the repair and construction of U.S. submarines and build the capacity to participate in AUKUS (Australia-United Kingdom-United States security partnership), it would be a golden chance for us."
There was also a suggestion that, while the United States has agreed to South Korea's construction of nuclear-powered submarines, to avoid interference from U.S. politicians still concerned about potential nuclear armament, South Korea should adhere to submarines powered by Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU) rather than Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU). Yun Jeongsang, Vice President of the Korea Submarine Federation, explained, "Since Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) can be directly converted into nuclear weapons, the United States and other major countries will inevitably intervene." He added, "No matter how strong the alliance, it would be difficult for us to operate independently."
At the same time, there was a proposal that, in order to introduce nuclear-powered submarine technologies restricted by the Atomic Energy Act of the United States, South Korea must demonstrate that domestic construction will make a significant contribution to the joint defense and security of the Indo-Pacific region, as envisioned by the United States. Joohyun Moon, a professor in the Department of Energy Engineering, Dankook University, pointed out that the U.S. Atomic Energy Act is the only legal channel for transferring confidential hardware and software information about nuclear-powered submarines to foreign countries. He stated, "We must highlight that the submarine base we plan to build as an MRO hub for U.S. nuclear-powered submarines can be jointly used with the United States." He further emphasized, "We need to appeal to the fact that this contributes to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region. The argument that nuclear-powered submarines are merely a countermeasure against the DPRK's nuclear threat is insufficient."
jiwon.song@fnnews.com Song Ji-won Reporter