South Korea, US begin inaugural talks on security initiatives from summit agreements
Seoul, June 2
South Korea and the United States launched their first round of talks on Tuesday to implement a set of security agreements reached by their leaders last year, including Seoul's push to acquire nuclear-powered submarines, officials said.
The inaugural two-day talks began at around 10 a.m. at the foreign ministry building in Seoul, focusing on security-related provisions in a bilateral joint fact sheet issued following a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and US President Donald Trump in October.
First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo leads the South Korean delegation, which includes officials from the presidential office, as well as the defence, science and industry ministries, reports Yonhap news agency.
The US delegation is led by Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker and includes Ivan Kanapathy, senior director for Asia at the National Security Council (NSC), Matthew Napoli, deputy administrator for defence nuclear nonproliferation at the National Nuclear Security Administration, and other officials from the Department of Energy and related agencies.
Key agenda items are expected to include Seoul's push to build nuclear-powered submarines, secure the right to enrich uranium and reprocess spent nuclear fuel for peaceful purposes and expand shipbuilding cooperation between the two sides.
The joint fact sheet outlines a range of commitments by both sides, including security-related issues and Seoul's pledge to invest US$350 billion in the US in exchange for a reduced US tariff rate. The kickoff meeting had initially been expected to take place earlier this year but was delayed as Washington focused on other priorities, including the Middle East conflict.
The US had also raised concerns over delays in Seoul's legislative process for its investment pledge and a probe into the US-listed e-commerce giant Coupang Inc. over a massive data breach, among other issues.
Despite the delay in launching the consultative body, the two sides have continued working-level discussions and are expected to move quickly into substantive talks at the inaugural meeting, according to the officials. In an interview with Yonhap News Agency last week, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said South Korea seeks to revise the bilateral nuclear energy pact, known as the 123 Agreement, "as soon as possible" to enable uranium enrichment and spent nuclear fuel reprocessing.
The government also hopes to accelerate cooperation in nuclear-powered submarines and shipbuilding. South Korea is effectively prohibited from enriching uranium and reprocessing spent nuclear fuel under the existing agreement.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This 123 Agreement revision is a big deal for South Korea. Their nuclear energy program is world-class, and being unable to enrich uranium or reprocess spent fuel is like having a Ferrari with no fuel. India managed to get a clean waiver through years of diplomacy. Seoul should study our civil nuclear deal carefully. Also, $350 billion investment for tariff reduction? That's quite a price tag for trade stability! 🇮🇳
South Korea's pursuit of nuclear-powered submarines is understandable given North Korea's threats, but the non-proliferation concerns are real. India has indigenous nuclear submarine capability because we never signed NPT. For South Korea, which did, getting these rights is legally tricky. The $350 billion investment is also concerning - feels like they're buying US approval. Hope India doesn't end up in such lopsided arrangements with Washington.
The US delaying these talks due to Middle East priorities shows where their focus really is. Meanwhile, North Korea keeps testing missiles. South Korea needs a more independent deterrence posture, just like India does with our neighbors. Nuclear-powered submarines would be a game-changer for their defense. But uranium enrichment rights? That's a tough ask from the US - they barely trust India with that, and we're not in NPT.
This is typical US alliance management - promises made at summits, then delays on delivery. South Korea wants nuclear subs for credible deterrence against the North, and enrichment rights for energy security. But the 123 Agreement is a straightjacket. India got our civil nuclear deal through persistent diplomacy and trust-building. Seoul needs the same patience. Also, that Coupang data breach issue is a separate ball game but shows US concerns beyond just military security.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.