SEOUL– South Oriental Head Of State Lee Jae Myung looked for to reduce global problems over the nation’s nuclear aspirations on Monday, attracting a clear line in between going after nuclear-powered submarines and any kind of intent to create nuclear tools throughout an international press instruction at the governmental workplace in Seoul.
The instruction noted the 1 year wedding anniversary of South Korea’s go back to autonomous guideline after previous Head of state Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-term martial legislation effort in 2015.
Lee and United State Head of state Donald Trump got to a $350 billion financial investment and safety and security arrangement last month that consisted of united state authorization for South Korea to construct nuclear-powered submarines.
Reviewing the settlements, Lee defined Trump as “intriguing and enjoyable” and called the offer a “amazing result” that gives South Korea with better critical adaptability.
Asked by ABC Information whether he recognizes nuclear expansion problems in Washington, Lee stated “nuclear nonproliferation is a worldwide concept we should appreciate,” worrying that the treaty limits the spread of nuclear tools yet not all nuclear innovations.

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA – DECEMBER 03: Head Of State Lee Jae Myung talks throughout an interview to note the initial wedding anniversary of previous Head of state Yoon Suk Yeol’s quick charge of martial legislation, at Yeongbingwan of Blue Residence on December 03, 2025 in Seoul, South Korea. A year has actually passed given that then-President Yoon Suk Yeol stated a state of emergency situation martial legislation, magnificent Korea and triggering a political situation that remains to resound today.
Chung Sung-jun/Getty Pictures
Any type of approach nuclear weaponry would certainly be “impractical and ill-advised,” Lee proceeded, including that uranium enrichment for power generation and invested gas reprocessing are “not straight pertaining to nonproliferation.”
On The Other Hand, Trump has actually commended the arrangement as an increase for American shipbuilding, claiming it would certainly develop tasks in the USA. “South Korea will certainly construct the nuclear-powered submarines right below, at the Philly Shipyard in the USA. The united state shipbuilding sector will certainly quickly reclaim its vitality,” Trump created Oct. 30 on X.
However Lee pressed back on that particular characterization, claiming South Korea– which has among the globe’s most effective shipbuilding sectors– plans to construct the submarines locally making use of native innovation.
” We’re not requesting building and construction or technology transfer. Simply authorization for gas supply,” he stated.