US diplomat says Trump’s support for South Korea’s nuclear-powered submarine ambitions strengthens allied capabilities and reflects growing alignment on regional threats, maritime security and strategic cooperation across the Indo-Pacific….reports Asian Lite News
A senior United States diplomat has described President Donald Trump’s support for South Korea’s pursuit of nuclear-powered, conventionally armed submarines as a “clear example” of deepening cooperation designed to strengthen the allies’ ability to confront expanding regional security challenges. The remarks, delivered in Washington on Wednesday, come amid rising speculation that Washington’s endorsement of Seoul’s submarine ambitions is influenced not merely by Korean Peninsula dynamics but by the broader need to counter the strategic assertiveness of China.
Jonathan Fritz, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, said the fundamentals of the US–South Korea alliance were “stronger than ever”. Speaking at a forum hosted by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies and the Korea Foundation, he stressed that the two nations remained “in complete alignment” on North Korea while simultaneously working to bolster their wider defence posture.
“President Trump expressed US support for the Republic of Korea to build nuclear-powered, conventionally armed submarines, working together with us to identify and address requirements and challenges,” Fritz said. “This is a clear example of bilateral cooperation that advances our collective capabilities against regional threats.”
His comments follow Trump’s announcement in late October, after his second summit with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, that he had approved Seoul’s long-desired project to develop nuclear-powered submarines. The decision aligns with Washington’s broader push for allies to raise defence spending and expand independent capabilities at a moment when the United States views China as its primary “pacing threat”.
A newly released joint fact sheet on bilateral security and trade cooperation highlighted that both leaders had agreed to strengthen joint deterrence “against all regional threats”. The wording, analysts note, reflects the growing expectation that South Korea will play a more visible role in countering China’s influence across the Indo-Pacific.
On North Korea, Fritz reaffirmed that the allies remain united in their approach. “We continue to call for the complete denuclearisation of the DPRK,” he said, using the acronym for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. “Both Presidents Trump and Lee support meaningful dialogue and have called on the DPRK to abandon its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programmes.”
Fritz also highlighted growing maritime security cooperation across the Indo-Pacific—an area of increasing friction with Beijing—though he refrained from naming China directly. “We will work closely with the ROK and other partners to uphold the International Law of the Sea and to promote peace and stability, whether in the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea or elsewhere,” he said, signalling the alliance’s emphasis on maintaining open sea lanes and deterring coercive actions.
Beyond defence, the US diplomat underscored Seoul’s economic significance to the Trump administration’s drive to “reindustrialise America”, calling South Korea “absolutely key” to revitalising advanced manufacturing supply chains. He reiterated the need for sustained Korean investment in the United States as well as the importance of ensuring that South Korean specialists can travel to train American workers in high-precision fields.
His comments came against the backdrop of ongoing discussions to refine the US visa system for skilled South Korean workers. The issue drew heightened attention earlier this year after a federal immigration enforcement operation at a Korean manufacturing site in Georgia resulted in the detention of more than 300 Korean workers, leading to diplomatic pressure and calls for clearer guidelines.
“President Trump has been very clear that we welcome Koreans to come to our country temporarily to train American workers,” Fritz said. “We are committed to ensuring qualified personnel can travel to the US to support Korea’s historic investments in US manufacturing.”
He noted “great progress” in resolving the visa issue, pointing to the establishment of a Korea Investment and Trade Desk at the US Embassy in Seoul dedicated to facilitating “specialised” travel for Korean professionals linked to major industrial projects in the United States.
