South Korea says nuclear sub plan still calls for local build
· UPIJune 5 (Asia Today) -- South Korea's presidential office said Friday there has been no major change in the plan to build nuclear-powered submarines in South Korea as Seoul and Washington resume talks on nuclear cooperation and wartime operational control.
A senior Cheong Wa Dae official told reporters that recent security talks between South Korea and the United States were "very productive and useful."
"There has been no major change in the position that nuclear-powered submarines will be built in South Korea," the official said.
The official said the two sides discussed uranium enrichment, spent fuel reprocessing and nuclear-powered submarines. The talks also included what the official described as an "umbrella" consultation framework.
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"We have not set a target deadline, but we will move quickly and try to produce concrete results by the end of the year," the official said.
South Korea and the United States held formal talks in Seoul this week on follow-up discussions related to Seoul's push for nuclear-powered submarines and expanded rights for uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing. The talks followed earlier bilateral agreements on nuclear cooperation and submarine development.
On enrichment and reprocessing, the senior official said Seoul and Washington need "several new frameworks of agreement."
"We intend to make progress, including by revising what needs to be revised," the official said.
The official said talks on enrichment and reprocessing are now moving into a full-fledged phase.
"These discussions are based on trust in South Korea's denuclearization, so there are no additional denuclearization conditions," the official said.
Asked about coordination between Seoul and Washington on the timing of South Korea's recovery of wartime operational control, the official said the two allies do not have a significant difference of opinion.
"Efforts to meet the conditions have continued for more than 10 years, and several years ago there was even an assessment that the conditions had been more than 90% met," the official said. "Because there is little difference in views on the conditions, we can coordinate and align them."
The official said the two sides also do not differ sharply on the timing of the transfer.
"There is a gap of a little over a year, about one year-plus," the official said. "We do not see that gap as something that cannot be adjusted."
-- Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260605010001877