Trump: South Korea to build nuclear submarine in Philadelphia shipyard
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Trump announces South Korea will construct a nuclear-powered submarine at Philadelphia shipyards, calling it a revival of US shipbuilding.
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President Donald Trump shakes hands with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung as he receives a gift of a gold crown and award during a high honor ceremony at the Gyeongju National Museum in Gyeongju, South Korea,on October 29,2025.(AP)
US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that South Korea will construct a nuclear-powered submarine in the Philadelphia Shipyards, marking a significant development in defense cooperation between the two countries.
Earlier in the day, Trump stated he had formally approved the construction of a modern nuclear-powered submarine for South Korea as part of expanding joint defense capabilities.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has called on US President Donald Trump to revise a decades-old nuclear energy agreement, requesting approval for nuclear fuel supply to build conventionally armed submarines.
The request came during a bilateral meeting in Gyeongju on Wednesday, as Seoul pushes to expand its maritime capabilities amid mounting tensions with both the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and China.
“If we could secure approval for nuclear fuel supply, we would be able, using our own technology, to build several conventionally armed submarines,” Lee told Trump during their public exchange. “They could patrol and defend both the East and West Seas of the Korean Peninsula, which in turn would significantly reduce the operational burden on US forces.”
Lee clarified that the request was not related to developing nuclear weapons, but rather to replacing aging diesel-powered vessels currently unable to effectively monitor regional threats.
Philadelphia shipyards chosen as production site
“South Korea will be building its Nuclear Powered Submarine in the Philadelphia Shipyards, right here in the good ol’ U.S.A.,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, celebrating the move as a major step for US manufacturing.
The US president framed the deal as part of a broader strategy to revive American shipbuilding, adding:
“Shipbuilding in our Country will soon be making a BIG COMEBACK.”
While further technical and logistical details about the submarine project have not yet been released, the announcement signals closer US-South Korea defense ties and a possible boost for US industrial capacity.
