The government’s first nuclear-powered submarine project, known as the Jangbogo N Project, aims to construct a Korean-style nuclear submarine with a displacement of 7,000 to 8,000 tons, indicating it will likely be a large-scale submarine.
According to comprehensive reporting by News1 on Wednesday, the government is pushing to build at least three Korean-style nuclear submarines of this size. This displacement is comparable to that of the Virginia-class submarines (7,800 tons), which serve as the U.S. Navy’s primary attack submarines.
Initially, following agreements made during the Korea-U.S. summit last October, the government planned to pursue a 5,000-ton class submarine. However, after internal reviews, they reportedly decided to significantly increase the displacement. It has been reported that the Joint Chiefs of Staff recently decided, after a joint meeting, to require the construction of about three nuclear submarines in the 7,000 to 8,000-ton range.
The nuclear submarines are expected to be equipped with weapon systems including ballistic and cruise missiles carrying conventional warheads. For comparison, U.S. Virginia-class nuclear submarines are equipped with 12 vertical launch systems for ballistic missiles and approximately 40 Tomahawk cruise missiles.
The decision to increase the displacement of the Korean nuclear submarines is believed to be influenced by the heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula, particularly in light of North Korea’s efforts to build its own nuclear submarines.
North Korea launched a conventional submarine capable of firing nuclear missiles, dubbed the tactical nuclear attack submarine, in 2023. In December of the same year, they revealed the construction of an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine capable of launching submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), underscoring their focus on enhancing naval power.
In response, the Korean-style nuclear submarine is expected to increase in size and significantly enhance its armament by carrying a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles equipped with conventional warheads. Currently, the South Korean Navy operates submarines such as the Dosan Ahn Chang-ho (3,000 tons) and the Jang Young-sil (3,600 tons).
Furthermore, if South Korea develops and operates nuclear submarines similar to the Virginia-class, it could potentially lead to expanded maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) collaborations with the United States in the future.
The government plans to develop and construct all systems of the nuclear submarine domestically, excluding nuclear fuel, with the goal of launching the first vessel by the mid-2030s.