South Korea Nuclear Sub Deal Raises Questions About AUKUS Timeline, Albanese Dismisses Concerns
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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese firmly dismissed concerns Thursday that U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to help South Korea develop nuclear-powered submarines could delay or complicate Australia’s own nuclear submarine program under the AUKUS partnership.
“No,” Albanese said flatly when asked whether South Korea’s submarine deal concerns him or whether Seoul is receiving higher-level U.S. nuclear technology than Australia will obtain through AUKUS. “In a word, to put it clearly.”
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The prime minister’s comments came one day after Trump announced he had given South Korea a “green light” to transfer nuclear propulsion technology for submarines, a decision that has raised questions about America’s submarine construction capacity and its ability to fulfill commitments to multiple allies simultaneously.
Trump’s announcement has generated debate in Washington defense circles about whether the United States can support nuclear submarine programs for both Australia and South Korea while maintaining its own submarine construction schedule, which already faces significant backlogs.
“The US Defence Secretary said it was highly doubtful the US would be able to sustain AUKUS while also helping the South Koreans get nuclear submarines,” one reporter noted to Albanese. “Do you think there are potential implications for AUKUS?”
“No, I think President Trump’s comments can’t have been clearer,” Albanese responded. “They were very clear last week in the White House. They’ve been clear ever since. President Trump has made very explicit statements of not just support for AUKUS, but indeed the bringing forward of the timetable, if that is possible.”
The prime minister emphasized that bilateral arrangements between Washington and Seoul are “a matter for the United States and Korea,” while the AUKUS agreement involving Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom serves “our national interest.”
“The arrangements that Australia has entered into with the United States and the United Kingdom will provide for Australia to have access to that technology, and that’s a very positive thing,” Albanese said.
AUKUS, announced in September 2021, represents the most significant defense partnership Australia has entered since World War II. Under the agreement, Australia will acquire at least eight nuclear-powered attack submarines, with the United States and United Kingdom providing technology transfer and construction support.
The program’s first phase calls for American Virginia-class submarines to be sold to Australia beginning in the early 2030s, followed by a new SSN-AUKUS class submarine to be built in Australia and the United Kingdom. The total program cost for Australia is estimated at between 268 billion and 368 billion Australian dollars over three decades.
American submarine construction yards already face strain meeting U.S. Navy requirements. The Government Accountability Office reported in 2024 that both General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries are behind schedule on current submarine deliveries, raising questions about capacity for additional international orders.
Defense analysts have noted that nuclear propulsion technology represents some of the most closely guarded military secrets possessed by the United States. Only the United Kingdom has previously received such technology from Washington, under a 1958 agreement that excluded even NATO allies France and Germany.
South Korea’s entry into the nuclear submarine club would mark a significant shift in regional military capabilities. Seoul currently operates conventional diesel-electric submarines but has long sought nuclear propulsion to extend patrol ranges and enhance its deterrent against North Korea.
Trump’s decision to support South Korea’s nuclear submarine ambitions came during his attendance at the APEC summit in Seoul, where he also participated in Wednesday evening’s intimate dinner with Albanese and six other leaders.
The Australian prime minister sat at Trump’s right hand during that gathering, a seating arrangement Albanese said he knew about in advance. The dinner provided an opportunity to “reinforce the support for AUKUS,” Albanese said Thursday.
Asked whether the South Korea announcement might affect AUKUS, Albanese returned repeatedly to Trump’s direct statements of support. “President Trump has made very explicit statements,” he said, characterizing the president’s position as unwavering.
The AUKUS partnership extends beyond submarines to include cooperation on hypersonic weapons, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, cyber capabilities, and undersea systems. This broader “Pillar Two” of AUKUS aims to accelerate joint development of advanced military technologies.
Albanese also addressed the “critical minerals and rare earths arrangements that have been put in place” as part of broader Australia-U.S. cooperation, referencing supply chain agreements designed to reduce dependence on Chinese sources for materials essential to defense manufacturing and clean energy technologies.
The prime minister’s Seoul visit includes a planned tour of POSCO, South Korea’s major steel manufacturer, which he noted purchases 18.2 billion Australian dollars worth of Australian exports annually, making it Australia’s largest single commercial partner.
Iron ore, coal, and other mineral resources from Western Australia, Queensland, and other states flow to South Korean manufacturers including POSCO, which operates facilities in Australian cities including Townsville in Queensland and locations in Victoria.
“That represents Australian jobs and Australian economic activity,” Albanese said of the POSCO relationship. “That’s my focus of international engagement.”
The prime minister framed his international travel as directly serving Australian economic and security interests. “One in four of Australia’s jobs depends upon trade,” he said. “Over 75% of Australia’s trade is with APEC members. That is why it’s in Australia’s interest for me to be here.”
Foreign Minister Penny Wong accompanied Albanese to Seoul and conducted separate meetings with her foreign ministry counterparts Thursday, the prime minister said.
Defense Minister Richard Marles, who oversees AUKUS implementation from the Australian side, did not travel to Seoul. Marles has repeatedly emphasized that AUKUS remains “the single biggest leap in our defense capability in our history.”
Opposition defense critics have questioned whether Australia can afford the AUKUS program and whether the United States will reliably deliver submarines given domestic production constraints. Shadow Defense Minister Angus Taylor has called for greater transparency about costs and delivery schedules.
Albanese maintained Thursday that Trump’s recent statements remove any doubt about American commitment. The prime minister said his conversations with Trump over the past week, including both the White House meeting and Wednesday’s dinner, reinforced “the support for our defence and security relationship.”
The AUKUS agreement requires Australia to establish a submarine construction industry and nuclear safety regulatory framework essentially from scratch. The Royal Australian Navy currently operates six conventional Collins-class submarines built in Adelaide.
Australia has pledged to maintain its commitment to nuclear non-proliferation and will not develop nuclear weapons. Nuclear-powered submarines use highly enriched uranium for propulsion but do not carry nuclear weapons.
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