Executive Branch

trump Administration Shift on South Korea‌ Nuclear Capabilities Sparks Debate

GYEONGJU, ‍SOUTH KOREA – A move by ​the Trump administration to allow south ⁤Korea to enrich uranium,‌ revealed during President Donald Trump’s⁢ meeting with South Korean President Lee⁣ Jae⁤ Myung at the Asia-pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ ⁤summit on ‌Oct. 29, 2025, is reshaping the ⁢nuclear⁢ landscape and prompting both optimism and concern among ​security experts. The ​decision,a significant departure ⁢from decades of‌ U.S.policy, could grant Seoul a “latent nuke capability,” allowing the nation to rapidly develop nuclear⁢ weapons if deemed necesary.

for ⁣decades, the united states has discouraged nuclear proliferation on the Korean Peninsula, maintaining a strong security alliance with South Korea – including⁤ the deployment of U.S. troops and a nuclear umbrella – as a deterrent against⁤ North Korea’s nuclear ⁣ambitions. However, the shift signals a potential recalibration of that strategy, driven by⁣ evolving geopolitical dynamics and concerns about the reliability of U.S. commitment.

“This is a big growth in the alliance and a big change in U.S. policy,” said Victor Cha, a Georgetown government‍ professor ‌and Korea‍ expert at the Center for Strategic ‌and‌ International ⁣Studies.He believes the ⁤project is “good⁢ for (South) ⁣Korea and good for the alliance.”

The agreement centers on South Korea establishing the ability to‍ enrich uranium for the first time. Nuclear latency, according ‌to weapons experts, exists ⁣when a country possesses the knowledge, technology, and infrastructure to quickly build nuclear weapons should⁤ the need arise, without actively pursuing their development.⁢

Experts suggest South‌ Korea may be seeking this latency due ⁤to ⁣an increasingly uncertain relationship with‍ the United States. “This is a big development in⁤ the alliance,” Cha stated.

The move is also⁣ seen as ⁢a potential​ countermeasure ⁣to growing threats from both China and North Korea,​ bolstering Seoul’s ‌naval power through enhanced submarine‌ capabilities. However, the decision isn’t without its critics.‌ Some experts warn‍ that pursuing‌ nuclear latency could provoke north Korea and ‍invite international sanctions, possibly‌ damaging South Korea’s economy and​ high-tech industries due to violations of treaties​ against nuclear weapons development.

“Not all⁣ experts believe ⁤that it would⁤ be good for ‍South Korea to build ‍nuclear weapons,” the report‌ notes, “because the move could provoke North Korea or ⁤harm​ the global economy.”

The submarine agreement, by boosting nuclear latency and ⁣enhancing Seoul’s naval power ‌against threats from China ⁢and⁤ North Korea, could strengthen the alliance.

Contributing: Reuters