Defence minister Ahn Gyu-back on Wednesday asked the U.S. Navy for support for South Korea’s push to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.

According to the defence ministry, Ahn met with Hung Cao, acting U.S. Navy secretary, in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday (U.S. time) and requested support for the Seoul initiative.

According to Mr Ahn, this collaboration would contribute to the shared security interests of the two countries and serve as an important milestone in advancing the bilateral alliance.

Mr Ahn restated that South Korea was an optimal partner for shipbuilding cooperation with the United States, citing the country’s strong shipbuilding capabilities and the recent legislation regarding Korean investment in the U.S.

Seoul is seeking to acquire nuclear-powered submarines under a joint summit agreement with the U.S. reached in 2025, along with efforts to secure uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing capabilities for civil purposes.

According to the ministry, Ahn explained South Korea’s determination and efforts to play a leading role in defending the Korean Peninsula to the lawmakers while asking for congressional support for Washington’s transfer of wartime operational control to Seoul and the nuclear-powered submarine initiative.

The lawmakers expressed support for the importance of the alliance and reaffirmed that the U.S. Congress would continue to play its role in further strengthening bilateral ties, according to the ministry.

(Yonhap/NAN)