(ATTN: UPDATES story throughout with details from background briefing)
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, Nov. 6 (Yonhap) -- A review committee of the state arms agency on Friday passed the basic plan for South Korea's nuclear-powered submarine program, officials said, moving forward with efforts to build the core naval asset under an agreement with the United States.
The decision-making body under the defense ministry approved the plan for the Jang Bogo N project during a regular meeting earlier in the day, the Defense Acquisition Program Administrion (DAPA) said in a release. The project will formally be launched in 2027.
Seoul unveiled the Jang Bogo N project in May, aiming to domestically develop and build nuclear-propelled, conventionally armed attack submarines, with the first vessel to be launched in the mid-2030s and fielded after the late 2030s.
This file photo, provided by Hanwha Ocean Co. on Sept. 20, 2026, shows the Seo Hui naval submarine, the second vessel of the Jang Bogo-III Batch-II program. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
This file photo, provided by Hanwha Ocean Co. on Sept. 20, 2026, shows the Seo Hui naval submarine, the second vessel of the Jang Bogo-III Batch-II program. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The project has been exempted from a preliminary feasibility study usually required for arms acquisitions, allowing the government to accelerate its push for the construction.
Under procurement regulations, the defense minister or DAPA chief can request an exemption from the feasibility study for highly classified projects.
The exemption for the Jang Bogo N program was granted in August, a DAPA official told reporters during a background briefing.
DAPA plans to select the submarine manufacturer through open bidding in the first half of next year and sign a formal contract by the end of 2027.
The government plans to directly procure small modular reactors (SMR) for the vessel's propulsion system. Seoul has secured U.S. consent to build the submarines powered by high-assay, low-enriched uranium enriched to below 20 percent.
The project is expected to strengthen deterrence against nuclear and missile threats posed by North Korea and boost efforts to expand underwater capabilities of the "Kill Chain" preemptive strike system, a pillar of the country's three-pronged defense architecture, DAPA said.
The total budget for the project has yet to be finalized, as the matter is still under deliberation, the arms agency added.
Media reports suggest Seoul is seeking to build at least three 8,000-ton nuclear-powered submarines, with the total program estimated to be worth 28.9 trillion won (US$21.3 billion).
The committee also approved a plan for the Korean Tactical Surface-to-Surface Missile-I (KTSSM-I) Block-II, aimed at bolstering counter-artillery capabilities with a greater range by 30 percent than the previous Block-I version, dubbed Ure.
The KTSSM-I, also known as the "artillery killer," is designed to rapidly neutralize North Korean long-range artillery targeting the Seoul metropolitan area.
The program is scheduled to run from 2028-2035, with total costs estimated at around 537 billion won.
The committee passed a revised plan to produce the tactical multiband and multirole radio (TMMR) system at scale to enhance the military communications network.
The committee also approved a plan to replace an aging presidential helicopter with the S-92A Plus, manufactured by Lockheed Martin.
Other plans approved at the meeting include programs to replace harbor patrol boats and upgrade the unmanned mine-clearing surface vehicle, DAPA said.