AJU PRESS ASIA FIRST NEWS AGENCY

Journalist

Kim Hee-su
Kim Hee-su김희수
ReporterMinistry of Foreign Affairs, Seoul City Hall & Defense, Foreign Affairs
Kim Hee-su is a bilingual reporter at AJU Press, covering defense and foreign affairs. Before joining AJP in 2025, she worked at The Korea Times, where she wrote interview stories, including a profile of North Korean defector Kim Gum-hyok, and produced digital content. She also previously worked as a researcher for KBS News 9’s International News Department, supporting correspondents in 10 countries around the world. She graduated from the University of Toronto in Canada with a double major in Book and Media Studies and East Asian Studies. "I'm driven by storytelling."
Latest by Kim Hee-su
  • HD Hyundai to help modernize U.S. shipyard under deal with Fraser Industries
    HD Hyundai to help modernize U.S. shipyard under deal with Fraser Industries SEOUL, July 30 (AJP) - HD Hyundai is moving to support the modernization of a U.S. shipyard as part of broader efforts to contribute to the revival of America’s shipbuilding industry. HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, the intermediate holding company of HD Hyundai’s shipbuilding business, said Thursday it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Fraser Industries LLC on cooperation to modernize shipyards for the revitalization of the U.S. shipbuilding industry. The signing ceremony was held in Washington and attended by senior officials from both companies, including HD KSOE CEO Kim Hyung-kwan, technical adviser Shin Jong-gye and Fraser Industries CEO Patrick V. Kelly. The agreement is the first project since HD KSOE moved in March to expand its business into digital engineering and manufacturing platforms, signaling its push to offer shipyard construction and modernization services. Under the MOU, HD KSOE plans to provide its shipyard design and construction know-how, production and operation systems and data management methods as a package, effectively offering Fraser guidance on how to build and operate a smart shipyard. The two companies plan to sign a formal contract later this year on consulting services to modernize Fraser Shipyards, located on Lake Superior in the Great Lakes region. HD Hyundai said the shipyard will serve as a test bed for efforts to rebuild the U.S. shipbuilding industry. Fraser Shipyards, Fincantieri Marine Group and Donjon Marine have formed the Great Lakes Shipbuilding Alliance and are jointly participating in a U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker project. “We are very pleased to partner with HD Hyundai, which has world-class technological capabilities, to introduce advanced practices across shipyard operations,” Kelly said. “Cooperation between the two companies will mark an important starting point for the revival of the U.S. shipbuilding industry.” Kim said HD KSOE will support Fraser Shipyards so it can become a key base for rebuilding America’s shipbuilding industry by providing expertise from shipyard design to operations. “We will expand cooperation into various areas and become a reliable partner for the U.S. shipbuilding industry,” Kim said. HD Hyundai has been expanding activities to support the reconstruction of the U.S. shipbuilding industry, including local construction cooperation and workforce training. Last October, HD Hyundai Executive Vice Chairman Chung Ki-sun said in a keynote speech at the APEC Future Tech Forum in Gyeongju that the company was ready to take part in America’s shipbuilding innovation journey as a reliable partner in opening a new maritime renaissance. 2026-07-30 10:53:48
  • Army tests combat squad pairing soldiers with drones, robot dogs
    Army tests combat squad pairing soldiers with drones, robot dogs SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - South Korea’s Army has launched a trial unit that combines soldiers with drones, quadruped robots, multipurpose unmanned ground vehicles and autonomous vehicles at the squad level, as it seeks to test future combat formations built around manned-unmanned teaming. The Army said Wednesday it held a launch ceremony for an experimental manned-unmanned squad at the 11th Maneuver Division in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province. The squad consists of eight personnel: four combat troops and four unmanned systems operators. It marks the first time the Army has integrated soldiers and multiple types of unmanned systems into a squad-level unit for field testing. Under the trial, the unit will test different combinations of drones, robot dogs, unmanned ground vehicles and autonomous vehicles depending on the mission. The Army plans to refine how such assets should be organized and deployed depending on mission requirements. The Army said the experiment will help shape future unit structures and combat procedures by testing how unmanned systems can support soldiers in surveillance, reconnaissance and high-risk operations. “We will test the effectiveness of applying manned-unmanned combat systems to frontline units,” said Maj. Gen. Lee Kyung-jin, chief of the Army Headquarters’ policy office. “Based on soldiers’ operational experience and the results of the demonstration, we will further develop unit structures, equipment and combat procedures suited to our military’s operational environment.” The Army said it will begin with squad-level trials this year, expand the demonstration to the company level next year and then to the battalion level in 2028. The Army also plans to conduct a separate trial to assess whether humanoid robots can be used for base security missions. 2026-07-29 17:55:54
  • Hanwha Solutions Q2 profit more than triples on renewable energy strength
    Hanwha Solutions' Q2 profit more than triples on renewable energy strength SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - Hanwha Solutions said Wednesday its second-quarter operating profit more than tripled from the previous quarter, helped by stronger earnings from its renewable energy, chemical and advanced materials businesses. The company posted 4.58 trillion won ($3.2 billion) in consolidated sales and 306.5 billion won in operating profit in the April-June period. Sales rose 18 percent from 3.88 trillion won in the first quarter, while operating profit jumped 231 percent from 92.6 billion won, marking a second consecutive quarterly profit. The renewable energy division recorded 2.48 trillion won in sales and 166.4 billion won in operating profit, up from 2.11 trillion won in sales and 62.2 billion won in operating profit three months earlier. Hanwha Solutions attributed the improvement on higher module selling prices, the sale of development assets and a stable revenue base from its residential energy business. The chemical division also extended its recovery, with sales rising to 1.47 trillion won from 1.34 trillion won in the previous quarter. Operating profit more than doubled to 87.1 billion won from 34.1 billion won, as the company maintained stable production and sales by securing key raw materials, including ethylene, despite geopolitical risks in the Middle East. The advanced materials division posted 300.3 billion won in sales and 28.8 billion won in operating profit, compared with 285.6 billion won in sales and 12.2 billion won in operating profit in the first quarter. The company said profitability improved on continued strong sales of solar materials in North America. “Revenue from the residential energy business is expected to increase in the third quarter, and the renewable energy division is projected to maintain solid earnings as the full solar value chain at the Cartersville plant begins full-scale operations,” said Lee Jae-bin, chief financial officer of Hanwha Solutions. 2026-07-29 17:07:10
  • Koreas enter quiet undersea race amid the slow death of denuclearization
    Koreas enter quiet undersea race amid the slow death of denuclearization SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - For more than three decades, denuclearization was the one word that defined every major policy toward North Korea. Every summit, sanctions package and diplomatic initiative ultimately revolved around the goal of dismantling Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program. Today, the word is quietly disappearing — not because the objective has been achieved, but because policymakers in Washington and Seoul are increasingly planning for a future in which North Korea remains a de facto nuclear state. The shift has unfolded almost unnoticed. Marking the 73rd anniversary of the Korean War Armistice Agreement, U.S. President Donald Trump praised the South Korea-U.S. alliance as "a pillar of peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific" and vowed to stand with Washington's Asian allies against "the forces of evil and oppression." The message emphasized military readiness, alliance solidarity and Indo-Pacific strategy. Conspicuously absent were references to North Korea's denuclearization. Last year's armistice statement had recalled Trump's unprecedented meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at Panmunjom and reaffirmed that his administration's "maximum pressure" campaign and sanctions were intended to bring Pyongyang back to negotiations on denuclearization. Neither the meeting nor denuclearization appeared in this year's message. Seoul is quietly recalibrating as well. Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said last week the government is shifting from a "denuclearization first" approach toward a "peace first" policy while maintaining denuclearization as the peninsula's long-term objective. The wording reflects more than a change in diplomatic sequencing. It acknowledges a strategic reality increasingly shaping policy in both capitals: instead of debating how to eliminate North Korea's nuclear arsenal, governments are focusing on how to deter, contain and coexist with it. The clearest evidence of that transition is emerging beneath the sea. A recent Financial Times report argued that South and North Korea are entering a new phase of underwater strategic competition as both pursue nuclear-powered submarines, a development that could reshape the maritime balance in Northeast Asia and complicate the broader rivalry between the United States and China. South Korea's program, known as the Jang Bogo-N project, gathered momentum after Trump publicly backed Seoul's pursuit of nuclear-powered submarines. The government aims to launch its first nuclear-powered submarine in the mid-2030s and deploy it by the end of that decade. North Korea announced its own nuclear-powered submarine program in 2021 and has since unveiled what it says is the hull of its first such vessel. Analysts remain skeptical that Pyongyang has mastered the complex reactor technology needed to operate a functioning nuclear-powered submarine, although deepening military cooperation with Russia has added a new variable. Ban Gil-joo, professor at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, said North Korea's naval modernization should not be viewed simply as coastal defense but as part of a broader maritime strategy. Pointing to Pyongyang's newly launched 5,000-ton destroyers and its claimed 8,700-ton strategic nuclear submarine, Ban said North Korea's declared ambition to build an "ocean-going operational fleet" suggests it aims to project power beyond the Korean Peninsula into the western Pacific and wider Indo-Pacific. The shift reflects a broader transformation in the strategic environment. For decades, Northeast Asia's military balance was largely measured by missiles, artillery and ground forces. Increasingly, however, deterrence is extending beneath the sea, where nuclear-powered submarines can remain submerged for months, operate across vast distances and conduct surveillance, intelligence gathering and second-strike missions with far greater survivability than conventional diesel-electric submarines. If either Korea successfully deploys nuclear-powered submarines, the implications would extend well beyond the peninsula. The Financial Times noted that such capabilities could alter the naval balance between the United States and China while intensifying submarine tracking and anti-submarine warfare throughout the Indo-Pacific. For Seoul, the project also raises sensitive nonproliferation questions. A proposed special law is expected to reaffirm that South Korea's submarine program is intended solely for naval propulsion and remains fully consistent with its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, seeking to distinguish the project from any pursuit of nuclear weapons. The changing strategic environment also reflects a broader reassessment of maritime security. Recent tensions around the Strait of Hormuz demonstrated how quickly critical sea lanes can become instruments of military pressure, energy insecurity and economic disruption. In Northeast Asia, similar concerns are emerging through submarine competition, protection of undersea infrastructure, gray-zone operations and growing competition over maritime domains. Ban argued that China's gray-zone activities around the Korean Peninsula—including challenges to South Korea's air defense identification zone—should be distinguished from North Korea's more direct military threat. Yet both, he said, point to the same conclusion: maritime security is no longer confined to naval warfare but increasingly encompasses energy security, food security, communications infrastructure and the rules governing freedom of navigation. He called for deeper cooperation with the United States to translate gray-zone threat assessments into operational responses, while advocating broader regional partnerships through a Korea-ASEAN maritime security framework and closer international coordination to protect undersea infrastructure such as submarine communications cables. Washington, meanwhile, continues enforcing sanctions against North Korea's weapons procurement network despite the rhetorical shift away from denuclearization. This week, the Treasury Department updated its sanctions database, removing duplicate entries—including one involving Korea Tangun Trading Corporation—while leaving the underlying sanctions fully intact. Three decades after the Cold War, denuclearization remains the official objective of both Seoul and Washington. Yet their priorities increasingly tell a different story. From nuclear-powered submarines and undersea deterrence to gray-zone maritime operations and Indo-Pacific strategy, planning is shifting from eliminating North Korea's nuclear capabilities to managing a security environment in which they are expected to endure. The most consequential change may therefore be linguistic as much as military. Denuclearization has not formally disappeared. It has simply ceased to be the organizing principle of policy, while a quiet undersea competition is emerging as the peninsula's next strategic frontier. 2026-07-29 16:51:35
  • Illegal Chinese fishing boat seizures drop to five-year low in first half
    Illegal Chinese fishing boat seizures drop to five-year low in first half SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - The number of Chinese fishing boats seized for illegal fishing in South Korean waters fell sharply in the first half of this year, as the Korea Coast Guard stepped up enforcement with tougher penalties and special crackdowns. The Korea Coast Guard said Wednesday it seized 21 Chinese fishing boats from January to June, down 43.2 percent from 37 vessels a year earlier. The figure marked the lowest first-half level in five years. Annual seizures of illegal Chinese fishing boats reached 115 in 2019 before dropping sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic. The figure stood at 18 in 2020, 66 in 2021, 42 in 2022, 54 in 2023, 46 in 2024 and 57 in 2025. The decline comes as the KCG has significantly toughened its response to illegal Chinese fishing this year. Under a revised law on fishing sovereignty in South Korea’s exclusive economic zone, which took effect in May, fines for illegal Chinese fishing boats were raised from a maximum of 300 million won ($210,000) to 1.5 billion won. The KCG also carried out five special crackdowns over a total of 17 days in the first half and inspected 664 Chinese fishing boats. The agency is also moving ahead with plans to build dedicated 500-ton-class patrol vessels designed to come alongside Chinese fishing boats. Two vessels are expected to be deployed each year for three years starting in 2028. This year, the KCG is also preparing joint special operations with the Navy to strengthen crackdowns on Chinese fishing boats near the Northern Limit Line, following an order from President Lee Jae Myung. But serious violations have not disappeared. The number of boats seized for major offenses, such as fishing in prohibited zones, entering territorial waters or operating without authorization, rose 25 percent to 10 in the first half from eight a year earlier. The KCG has also taken a tougher line on serious violations, directly handing over eight vessels to Chinese authorities for possible further action. A KCG official said stronger enforcement measures, including higher fines and special crackdowns, appear to have had some impact in curbing illegal fishing. “We will continue to share the situation regarding illegal fishing at maritime security and fisheries meetings with China in the second half and urge further improvements in fishing order,” the official said. 2026-07-29 12:50:33
  • Private investment in Korean port projects rises 17.5% in first half
    Private investment in Korean port projects rises 17.5% in first half SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - Private investment in South Korea’s port development projects reached 252.3 billion won ($173.44 million) in the first half of this year, up 17.5 percent from a year earlier, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said Monday. The figure came from 78 projects approved by 10 regional oceans and fisheries offices and five local governments, including solar power facilities, logistics facilities and seafood distribution centers. Privately led port development projects allow companies or other private entities to build, expand, repair or maintain port facilities with approval from port authorities. The ministry said the system helps meet private-sector demand for port facilities while easing pressure on limited government budgets. By facility type, low-carbon facilities such as solar power systems accounted for the largest number of approvals, with 21 projects. Auxiliary facilities, including security posts, fishery port amenities, parking lots and power supply infrastructure, also accounted for a significant share, with 14 approvals in each category. The biggest project was a 67 billion won dried seaweed processing and distribution center planned by the Mokpo Fisheries Cooperative. Other sizable projects included a 43.6 billion won seasoned seaweed processing plant by the Mokpo Orion Fisheries Cooperative, a 24 billion won warehouse at Pyeongtaek Port and an 18.4 billion won modernization project for a fish auction facility at Hallim Port on Jeju Island. The ministry said demand remains strong for projects that add new functions to port areas, such as solar power facilities and upgraded seafood distribution centers, even as overall construction investment has stayed weak since 2021. “We will continue to seek support measures so that private investors can face lower entry barriers and actual users can secure port facilities on time, improving their investment competitiveness,” Gong Du-pyo, director general of the ministry’s port bureau, said. 2026-07-29 10:31:43
  • Hanwha Systems posts 219 percent jump in Q2 operating profit
    Hanwha Systems posts 219 percent jump in Q2 operating profit SEOUL, July 28 (AJP) - Hanwha Systems reported sharp growth in second-quarter earnings, driven by major defense export programs and domestic weapons production projects, the company said Tuesday. The defense electronics and ICT company posted 1.12 trillion won ($7.7 billion) in consolidated sales for the April-June period, up 45 percent from a year earlier. Operating profit surged 219 percent on-year to 103.7 billion won. Net profit rose 14 percent to 52.7 billion won. Hanwha Systems said its defense business was supported by large export programs, including sighting systems and fire control systems for Poland’s K2 tanks and multifunction radar systems for Cheongung-II missile defense systems exported to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Domestic defense programs also contributed to the strong earnings. They included combat management systems for the Ulsan-class Batch-III frigates, AESA radar and avionics equipment for the KF-21 fighter jet, and the fourth round of mass production of sighting and fire control systems for South Korea’s K2 tanks. Its ICT business also posted stable results, backed by technology projects across Hanwha affiliates. Major projects included a core IT system upgrade for Hanwha Life, an ERP platform for Hanwha Philly Shipyard and smart factory systems for Hanwha Aerospace. Hanwha Systems said its order backlog stood at 11.3 trillion won as of the second quarter. The company said it plans to continue expanding its export portfolio while securing major domestic projects. “Stable revenue from large export programs and major domestic production contracts drove the improvement in earnings,” a Hanwha Systems official said. “We will build a stronger foundation for sustainable growth by expanding overseas markets and strengthening technology capabilities.” 2026-07-28 18:37:31
  • Why Korea is turning to Brazils C-390 as aging airlift fleet faces pressure
    Why Korea is turning to Brazil's C-390 as aging airlift fleet faces pressure SEOUL, July 28 (AJP) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung wasted little time in Brazil tending to one of Seoul's key dense priorities. Upon arriving in Brasilia for a state visit, Lee headed straight to inspect a Brazilian-built C-390 Millennium military transport aircraft before holding summit talks with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The acquisition addresses two strategic objectives: replacing South Korea's aging tactical transport fleet while diversifying defense procurement and industrial partnerships beyond traditional U.S. suppliers. South Korea has ordered three C-390 transport aircraft from Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer under a contract worth about $603 million. The first aircraft is scheduled for delivery in December, with the remaining two arriving by the end of next year. During the visit, Lee described the acquisition as "the first step" in bilateral defense cooperation and called for broader collaboration between the two countries. The timing is significant. South Korea's tactical transport fleet is increasingly showing its age as the military expands its role beyond the Korean Peninsula to overseas deployments, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and civilian evacuation missions. Publicly available data indicate the Republic of Korea Air Force operates about 34 tactical transport aircraft, including 16 C-130 Hercules variants and 18 CN-235 transports. Among the Hercules fleet, 12 are older C-130H and C-130H-30 aircraft introduced from 1988, while only four are the newer C-130J-30 models delivered in 2014. Those older aircraft represent the Air Force's most pressing modernization challenge. More payload, more speed The C-390 offers a different operating profile from the C-130 that has long formed the backbone of South Korea's tactical airlift capability. According to Embraer, the aircraft can carry up to 26 metric tons of concentrated cargo, or 23 metric tons of distributed payload, and cruise at 470 knots, or about 870 kilometers per hour. By comparison, the U.S. Air Force lists the C-130J-30's maximum payload at about 20 metric tons and the older C-130H's at roughly 19 metric tons. Their cruising speeds are 356 knots and 318 knots, respectively. The comparison, however, is not one-sided. The stretched C-130J-30 can transport up to 128 combat troops, 92 paratroopers, 97 medical litters or eight cargo pallets. The older C-130H carries 90 troops, 64 paratroopers, 72 litters or six pallets. Embraer's C-390 accommodates up to 80 troops, 64 paratroopers, seven 463L pallets or as many as 80 litters depending on its medical evacuation configuration. Its main advantage lies elsewhere. The C-390 combines greater payload with substantially higher speed and a wider, taller cargo compartment, allowing it to transport bulkier military vehicles and equipment. Although its cargo bay is shorter than that of the stretched C-130J-30, its larger cross-section provides greater flexibility for oversized loads. Rather than replacing the Hercules outright, the C-390 complements the existing fleet with a newer platform optimized for heavier cargo and faster deployment. Why Seoul chose Brazil The procurement attracted attention because the Brazilian aircraft defeated Lockheed Martin's C-130J and Airbus' A400M in South Korea's Large Transport Aircraft II competition in 2023. The outcome surprised many defense analysts given the Air Force's decades of experience operating the U.S.-built Hercules. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said at the time that the competing aircraft offered broadly comparable performance and cost. The decisive difference came from industrial cooperation, contract conditions and technology partnerships. Embraer assembled a consortium with three South Korean companies, offering domestic industrial participation valued at about $135 million. Lockheed Martin partnered with a single Korean company with local participation worth about $129 million, while Airbus did not establish a comparable consortium. DAPA said the consortium model—used for the first time in the program—would enable Korean manufacturers to enter Embraer's global supply chain through parts production, extending the project's value beyond aircraft procurement. Maintenance also factored into the decision. "The C-390 is expected to offer significant savings in maintenance costs," a defense expert said. "Its parts supply is relatively fast, and its supply chain management appears more active than that of the C-130. Since the Hercules is an aging platform, parts procurement has become more difficult, with operators increasingly relying on substitute components." Beyond a transport aircraft Lee's visit also highlighted Brazil's growing importance as a strategic defense partner. Brazil fields the Western Hemisphere's second-largest military after the United States and possesses Latin America's largest defense industry, anchored by Embraer—one of the world's few globally competitive aircraft manufacturers. The relationship has already begun expanding beyond the transport aircraft deal. DAPA signed a memorandum of understanding with Embraer during ADEX 2025 to broaden Korean suppliers' participation in Embraer's global production network while exploring additional defense cooperation. Korea Aerospace Industries' FA-50 light combat aircraft has also emerged as a potential contender in Brazil's future light attack aircraft program, opening opportunities for two-way industrial collaboration rather than a conventional buyer-seller relationship. For Seoul, the C-390 therefore represents more than a fleet replacement. It reflects a broader shift toward building defense partnerships with technologically capable middle powers that can complement—rather than replace—its longstanding alliance with the United States. As geopolitical competition reshapes global supply chains, diversification has become as important in defense procurement as it has in semiconductors and critical minerals. Three aircraft alone will not solve South Korea's long-term airlift requirements. But if the C-390 integrates smoothly into Air Force operations and the industrial partnership delivers as promised, the purchase could mark the beginning of a much deeper aerospace relationship between Seoul and Brasilia—one extending well beyond military transport aircraft. 2026-07-28 18:15:21
  • Hanwha, KAIST launch space talent program for young students
    Hanwha, KAIST launch space talent program for young students SEOUL, July 28 (AJP) - Hanwha Group and KAIST have launched the fifth class of their youth space talent program, selecting 30 middle school students as South Korea seeks to nurture future talent for its growing space industry. The program, called “Space Pebbles,” began Saturday at Hanwha Building in Seoul, the company said Monday. The program is designed to identify and train promising first- and second-year middle school students from across the country. Hanwha selected 30 students for the fifth class through essay screening and discussion-based interviews. The students will study under KAIST aerospace engineering professors and other experts through the end of the year under the theme of “space technology for South Korea.” The first session opened with a space humanities conference, which brought together science communicators, space scientists, researchers and other industry experts. Science communicator Orbit gave the first lecture under the theme of coexistence technologies in space, discussing technologies needed for long-term survival in space and challenges that must be overcome. Space law expert Ahn Young-shin also gave a lecture on legal systems in space, explaining how space development requires the international community to build new rules for environments where national borders are less clearly defined. This year’s program also included a talk concert with Orbit and three KAIST professors dedicated to the Space Pebbles program. Students asked questions about space science and exchanged views through discussion. A second space humanities conference will be held next month, featuring An Hyoung-joon, head of the space public team at the Science and Technology Policy Institute, and Kim Sang-kyun, a professor of AI business at Kyung Hee University, who will discuss space policy and social changes surrounding the industry. Students who complete the program will receive a certificate issued in the name of the KAIST president, an opportunity to take courses at the KAIST Global Institute for Talented Education, KAIST mentoring and a chance for all participants to visit overseas space institutions. Hanwha said it will continue to support graduates through alumni networking and follow-up programs. A Hanwha official said the space industry is moving toward integrated companies that can handle everything from launch vehicles to satellites and operations. Hanwha Group recently said it will invest $37.4 billion in aerospace and AI by 2040, covering launch vehicles, satellite networks and defense AI. The group has also increased its stake in Korea Aerospace Industries to the 13 percent range and formally changed the purpose of its shareholding to management participation, strengthening its position in South Korea’s space sector. 2026-07-28 11:27:20
  • Defense Ministry to rule out nuclear weapons in submarine bill
    Defense Ministry to rule out nuclear weapons in submarine bill SEOUL, July 28 (AJP) - South Korea plans to include a nuclear weapons ban in its proposed law on nuclear-powered submarines, government sources said Tuesday. The Ministry of National Defense is expected to soon issue a legislative notice for a bill tentatively titled the Special Act on the Acquisition, Operation and Safety Management of Nuclear-Powered Submarines. The move would mark the first time South Korea has written into domestic law a principle rejecting nuclear weapons development in connection with a defense acquisition project. It appears aimed at easing international concerns that Seoul could use its nuclear-powered submarine program as a step toward developing nuclear arms. According to sources, the bill lays out five basic principles for the submarine project. The first states that the project “shall not be aimed at the development, production, possession or use of nuclear weapons” and that it shall not involve the diversion of nuclear material or actions that undermine confidence in the nuclear nonproliferation regime. The bill also includes principles on compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, cooperation with verification procedures by international organizations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency, protection of public safety and the environment from radioactive materials, and the establishment of nuclear safety standards for the submarines. The bill would allow the project to bypass some feasibility review requirements, shorten development and testing procedures, and apply more flexible cost rules in defense contracts. The bill also requires the government to establish and implement a basic plan for nuclear-powered submarines every 10 years. A separate 10-year safety management plan would cover radioactive waste management and prevention and response measures for radiological disasters. South Korea is pursuing the program under the name Jangbogo N Project. The submarines are expected to use low-enriched uranium with an enrichment level below 20 percent. The government aims to launch the lead vessel in the mid-2030s and deploy it in the late 2030s. Detailed specifications have not been disclosed, but military authorities are known to be planning to develop three 8,000-ton-class nuclear-powered submarines. 2026-07-28 09:49:31