Trump’s support for Seoul’s nuclear sub push example of cooperation against ‘regional’ threats: US diplomat
Washington, Dec. 4 – A U.S. diplomat said President Donald Trump’s backing of South Korea’s plan to build nuclear‑powered submarines is a “clear” example of how the two countries are working together to boost their joint ability to counter “regional” threats.
Jonathan Fritz, the U.S. principal deputy assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific affairs, made the statement at a Washington forum on Wednesday. The comment came as people speculated that Trump’s support for Seoul’s pursuit of strategic submarines could be aimed at countering a increasingly assertive China.
Fritz emphasized that the foundation of the Seoul‑Washington alliance is “stronger than ever,” adding that the two nations are in “complete alignment” over North Korea and reaffirmed the United States’ “ironclad” deterrence pledge to South Korea, according to Yonhap.
“President Trump also expressed U.S. support for the ROK to build nuclear‑powered, conventionally‑armed submarines, working together with us to identify and address requirements and challenges,” he said during the briefing hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Korea Foundation. ROK is the common abbreviation for the Republic of Korea.
“This is a clear example of bilateral cooperation that advances our collective capabilities against regional threats,” he added.
Following his second summit with South Korean President Lee Jae‑myung in late October, Trump approved Seoul’s submarine proposal. Washington urged allies to raise defense spending and capabilities while grappling with China’s “pacing threat.”
A joint fact sheet, released recently, highlighted that Seoul and Washington agreed to strengthen U.S. conventional deterrence “against all regional threats.” The wording reflects Washington’s push for Seoul to help counter Chinese influence.
On North‑Korea policy, Fritz remarked that Seoul and Washington remain on the same page. “We continue to call for the complete denuclearization of the DPRK,” he said. DPRK is the short form for North Korea.
“Both Presidents Trump and Lee support meaningful dialogue with the DPRK, and have called on it to abide by its international obligations, including abandoning its weapons of mass‑destruction and ballistic missile programs.”
The diplomat also touched on maritime security cooperation across the Indo‑Pacific, though he avoided naming China. “We will also work closely with the ROK and other partners across the Indo‑Pacific to uphold the International Law of the Sea and peace and stability, whether in the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea or elsewhere in the region,” he said.
Speaking about the Asian partner’s role in U.S. manufacturing, he said that Seoul is “absolutely key” to Trump’s goal of reindustrializing America. He urged the South Korean government to keep pushing its investments in the U.S. and to get the workforce that will support those investments “up and running.”
The remarks arrived as Seoul and Washington were improving the U.S. visa process for skilled South Korean workers, after a crackdown at a Korean facility in Georgia led to the detainment of more than 300 workers.
“President Trump has also been very clear that we welcome Koreans to come to our country temporarily to train American workers in these high‑precision jobs,” Fritz said. “We are committed to ensuring qualified personnel can travel to the U.S. to support the ROK’s historic investments here in U.S. manufacturing.”
He reported “great progress” on the visa issue, including the creation of the Korea Investment and Trade Desk at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul to facilitate the transport of Korean workers for specialized assignments.
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