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SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- The arms procurement agency said Tuesday it will speed up the development of nuclear-powered submarines and acquisition of artificial intelligence (AI)-based combat assets, including unmanned and counter-drone systems.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) unveiled the plan in a parliamentary audit, as part of a broader road map to secure core capabilities for "self-reliant" defense amid Seoul's efforts to retake wartime operational control (OPCON) of troops from Washington and North Korea's evolving military threats.
"The agency will leverage existing organizations and capabilities to develop a nuclear propulsion system and establish a blueprint to construct nuclear-powered submarines," DAPA said in a document submitted to lawmakers.
"We plan to launch a full-scale acquisition of combat unmanned systems, such as combat uncrewed surface vessels and small attack drones, as well as anti-drone networks, including laser air defense weapons and integrated counter-drone systems for front-line border areas," the agency said.
In this file photo, President Lee Jae Myung (C) is briefed by Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back on the country's basic plan for the nuclear-powered submarine program, dubbed the Jang Bogo N project, during a defense strategy meeting in Changwon, about 300 kilometers south of Seoul, on May 26, 2026. (Yonhap)
South Korea is pushing to build nuclear-powered attack submarines under its Jang Bogo N program, following a bilateral summit agreement with the United States reached in October last year.
The project calls for constructing the first vessel in the mid-2030s, with the warship to go into operational service by the late 2030s. The military is believed to be seeking to build at least three 8,000-ton nuclear-powered submarines during the target period.
The vessels will be fueled by high-assay low-enriched uranium enriched to below 20 percent, as part of its drive to better deter regional threats, including those posed by Pyongyang.
Seoul is also seeking to take back wartime OPCON from Washington before the Lee Jae Myung administration's five-year term ends in 2030.
The Lee government views these initiatives as timely amid the Donald Trump administration's calls for U.S. allies to shoulder more for their own defense.
DAPA said it will also accelerate the timely acquisition of long-range artillery interceptors, the Gwanggaeto-III Batch-II Aegis destroyer project and a second batch of F-35A stealth fighters, aimed at countering North Korean threats and facilitating the OPCON transfer.
Defense Acquisition Program Administration Minister Lee Yong-cheol (Yonhap)
The long-range artillery interceptors are a core component of the Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) multilayered missile shield system under the "three-axis" deterrence system aimed at countering North Korea. The other two consist of the Kill Chain preemptive strike platform and the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation System.
The long-range artillery interception system, designed to counter simultaneous, swarming strikes targeted at the wider Seoul region, is set to undergo operational testing and evaluation.
Under the Gwanggaeto-III Batch-II program, South Korea recently launched its third vessel, the ROKS Daeho Kim Jong Seo and plans to deliver the vessel to the Navy in December next year.
The country also plans to take delivery of the first F-35A jet of the second batch -- 20 additional F-35As it has agreed to purchase from the U.S. -- in the second half of 2027.
To back these initiatives, the government will pour defense research and development (R&D) funding into critical areas, including AI semiconductors for guided missiles, physical AI robotics and advanced jet engines for next-generation fighters, among others.
The agency said it also plans to bolster air and space capabilities by advancing the development of military reconnaissance and communications networks, including small spy satellites and the 425-II military spy satellite project.
When asked about a potential acquisition of Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. (KAI) by South Korean defense conglomerate Hanwha, DAPA Minister Lee Yong-cheol voiced caution against any hasty move toward a takeover, calling for a thorough review of the matter in terms of national security and the national interest.
"(Hanwha's potential takeover) comes with pros and cons, so it is premature to take a certain direction and make a decision based on that," Lee told lawmakers during the audit.
"No decision has been made at the national policy level regarding KAI's privatization," Lee added.
Hanwha is currently the second-largest shareholder in KAI, holding a combined 15.89 percent stake through its three defense affiliates. Speculation is widespread that Hanwha will move to take over the military aircraft manufacturer once the government begins steps to privatize the company.
elly@yna.co.kr
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