South Korea and the United States launched their first formal round of bilateral security consultations on Tuesday, 2 June, at the South Korean Foreign Ministry building in Seoul, aimed at implementing a package of defence and economic agreements reached at a leaders' summit last year. The two-day inaugural talks mark a significant step in translating summit-level commitments — including Seoul's push to acquire nuclear-powered submarines — into actionable policy.

What the Talks Cover

The agenda centres on three core issues: Seoul's ambition to construct nuclear-powered submarines, its effort to secure the right to enrich uranium and reprocess spent nuclear fuel for peaceful purposes, and expanded shipbuilding cooperation between the two allies. These provisions were outlined in a bilateral joint fact sheet issued following the summit between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and US President Donald Trump in October last year.

Who Is at the Table

First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo leads the South Korean delegation, which includes senior officials from the presidential office and the defence, science, and industry ministries. The US side is headed by Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker, and includes Ivan Kanapathy, senior director for Asia at the National Security Council (NSC), and Matthew Napoli, deputy administrator for defence nuclear nonproliferation at the National Nuclear Security Administration, alongside officials from the Department of Energy.

Why the Talks Were Delayed

The inaugural session had been expected earlier in 2025 but was postponed as Washington prioritised other concerns, including the ongoing Middle East conflict. The US had also raised objections over delays in Seoul's legislative approval of its pledge to invest US$350 billion in the United States — a commitment made in exchange for a reduced US tariff rate — and a probe into US-listed e-commerce firm Coupang Inc. over a large-scale data breach. Despite these delays, both sides maintained working-level discussions throughout.

The Nuclear Pact at the Centre

A key sticking point is the existing 123 Agreement — the bilateral nuclear energy pact that currently prohibits South Korea from enriching uranium or reprocessing spent nuclear fuel. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said last week that Seoul seeks to revise the agreement 'as soon as possible' to enable those activities. The push reflects Seoul's broader strategic goal of deepening its independent nuclear energy capabilities, particularly for submarine propulsion.

What Comes Next

Officials indicated that despite the delayed start, both delegations are expected to move quickly into substantive discussions during these inaugural sessions. Progress on the 123 Agreement revision and the nuclear submarine framework will be closely watched as indicators of how far the two allies can align on sensitive non-proliferation questions. The outcome of these talks could set the template for future US partnerships on nuclear technology in the Indo-Pacific.