Editorial

16:08 JST, November 6, 2025

Should South Korea possess nuclear submarines with U.S. support, East Asia’s security environment could undergo drastic change. This would also influence the debate on Japan’s possession of its own nuclear submarines. It is necessary to pay close attention to Seoul’s actions on the matter.

U.S. President Donald Trump revealed on his social media at the end of October that he had approved South Korea’s construction of nuclear submarines. He also indicated that these submarines, designed to carry conventional weapons rather than nuclear ones, are expected to be built at a shipyard in Philadelphia in the eastern part of the United States.

During the U.S.-South Korea summit that was held immediately before Trump revealed his decision, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung requested U.S. support for the development of........

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