By The South Asia Times

SEOUL - South Korea has formally notified the International Atomic Energy Agency of its intention to begin consultations on safeguards arrangements for its planned nuclear-powered submarines, marking a significant step toward realizing a long-discussed naval project.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi announced the development during a meeting of the agency’s Board of Governors in Vienna on Monday, as Seoul moves ahead with plans to build conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines, according to Yonhap News.

According to a statement from Grossi’s office, South Korea has “formally notified the Secretariat of its intention to start consultations with the Agency on an arrangement pursuant to Article 14” of its comprehensive safeguards agreement.

Article 14 provides a mechanism allowing countries to use nuclear material for non-nuclear military purposes, including nuclear-powered naval propulsion, subject to an arrangement with the IAEA designed to ensure that nuclear material is not diverted for weapons purposes.

Grossi said Seoul had reiterated its commitment to its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), its comprehensive safeguards agreement with the IAEA and the Additional Protocol.

South Korea has also submitted relevant declarations to the agency, Grossi said, adding that he looked forward to continuing consultations “in the same spirit of transparency.”

The move comes as Seoul seeks to strengthen its naval capabilities amid growing security concerns on the Korean Peninsula, particularly over North Korea’s expanding nuclear and missile programs.

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said the government was following the necessary procedures to demonstrate that the submarine project would be pursued transparently.

“We are proceeding with the necessary procedures to demonstrate that we are taking a transparent approach,” a ministry official said.

Under the NPT, South Korea, as a non-nuclear-weapon state, is prohibited from using nuclear material for nuclear weapons purposes and is subject to IAEA safeguards to verify that its nuclear activities remain peaceful.

However, the treaty permits the use of nuclear technology for certain non-nuclear military purposes, such as naval propulsion, provided appropriate safeguards arrangements are established.

Grossi said in June that a robust agreement between South Korea and the IAEA could help address concerns about the potential proliferation risks associated with Seoul’s nuclear-powered submarine program.

At that time, he said discussions on an Article 14 arrangement were still at an early stage.

The latest notification indicates that the consultations are now formally moving forward.

South Korea has set an ambitious timetable for the project, aiming to launch its first nuclear-powered submarine in the mid-2030s and deploy it with the Navy in the late 2030s.

Unlike nuclear-armed submarines, the vessels envisioned by Seoul would be conventionally armed but powered by nuclear reactors, giving them the ability to remain underwater for significantly longer periods than conventional diesel-electric submarines.

The technology could substantially increase the South Korean Navy’s endurance and operational reach.

The submarine initiative follows security agreements reached during a summit between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and US President Donald Trump in October last year.

For Seoul, the project represents a major expansion of its strategic and naval capabilities. For the IAEA, the challenge will be to establish safeguards that allow nuclear-powered naval propulsion while maintaining confidence that nuclear material is not diverted toward a weapons program.

The forthcoming consultations between Seoul and the IAEA are therefore expected to be closely watched by countries concerned about nuclear proliferation in East Asia.