Symbolic green light grants momentum, but congressional and legal barriers will keep Seoul dependent on Washington

U.S. President Donald Trump’s public “approval” for South Korea to build nuclear-powered submarines marks a symbolic shift in Seoul’s maritime ambitions but leaves the project constrained by legal, technological and political barriers that make deployment unlikely before the 2030s.

While Trump’s endorsement signals Washington’s willingness to discuss an issue long off-limits, it remains largely performative without corresponding action under U.S. law.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s public “approval” for South Korea to build nuclear-powered submarines marks a symbolic shift in Seoul’s maritime ambitions but leaves the project constrained by legal, technological and political barriers that make deployment unlikely before the 2030s.

While Trump’s endorsement signals Washington’s willingness to discuss an issue long off-limits, it remains largely performative without corresponding action under U.S. law.

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