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The 7

The South Korean Navy is taking steps to assign a research team to study the legal issues related to the development of nuclear-powered submarines. This is presumed to be aimed at preparing the way for developing the submarines.

On Aug. 27, the navy announced plans to open bidding for a research project into the “legal requirements for developing nuclear-powered warships” on the government’s electronic procurement system. While the navy had initially announced on Aug. 10 that it would be taking bids for this research project, the bidding process was reportedly suspended temporarily following criticism that the scope of the research project was “too vague and broad.”

“We’re planning to post the bidding notice once again after narrowing the scope of the requirements in domestic and international law. This process will take about a month,” said a senior navy official.

The government has been moving quickly to acquire nuclear-powered submarines after South Korean President Moon Jae-in spoke of their necessity. His argument is that such submarines are necessary to counter North Korea’s submarine-launched ballistic missiles. But objections have been raised that developing nuclear-powered submarines would conflict with the Korea-US Atomic Energy Agreement, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

This research project is designed to explore these legal objections. The project, scheduled to take three months, would cost 45 million won (about US $400,000). If bidding on the project goes smoothly, the resulting report is expected to be ready as early as the end of this year or the beginning of the next.

By Park Byong-su, senior staff writer

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