Chinese state media voiced concerns over plans by the US and South Korea to discuss building nuclear-powered submarines for South Korea, stating that this development poses a high risk to peace and stability in East Asia. On Monday, Global Times cited a Chinese military expert to warn that the plan for South Korea and the United States to begin consultations next year on the construction of nuclear-powered submarines, uranium enrichment, and spent nuclear fuel reprocessing could trigger an arms race and threaten nuclear non-proliferation in the region. The Global Times is an English-language newspaper affiliated with the People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party. The outlet’s warnings came after Wi Sung-lac, the director of South Korea’s Office of National Security, visited Washington, DC, last week to discuss follow-up measures to the South Korea-US summit, including establishing a roadmap for South Korea’s nuclear submarine construction. The Global Times paraphrased Chinese military affairs expert Song Zhongping as stressing that South Korea’s nuclear submarine program could cause regional instability. Song pointed out that Wi mentioned the example of Australia’s nuclear submarine acquisition ahead of last week’s talks with the US. Song said this arrangement with Australia set a “bad precedent,” stating that a similar case is now emerging in South Korea. Australia circumvented obstacles in its existing nuclear agreement with the US by establishing a separate arrangement under the AUKUS, the trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. This arrangement was based on Section 91 of the US Atomic Energy Act, which allows the US president to authorize the transfer of military nuclear materials. Song argued that the US’ indulgence in allowing some of its allies to use its nuclear technologies and nuclear fuel will inevitably undermine the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Song also emphasized that Japan has indirectly signaled its intent to possess nuclear submarines to stress the likelihood of a potential arms race. China’s wary stance has emerged in the context of the US’ expanding influence in East Asia based on close ties with South Korea and Japan. Japan’s NHK reported that last Friday, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi boarded and inspected a US Navy nuclear-powered submarine. Earlier at a press conference on Nov. 6, Koizumi argued that Japan should consider adding nuclear-powered submarines to its fleet, citing US approval for South Korea to build its own. “All [of Japan’s] surrounding countries have them,” the minister stated. However, Song argued that South Korea does not need nuclear submarines as its coastlines are limited. The military expert then questioned whether South Korea intends to use nuclear submarines as a means to “challenge” the security interests of other nations so that it might become a “major country” in global politics. By Lee Jeong-yeon, Beijing correspondent
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