National Interest – James Holmes writes that many countries want nuclear submarines for national prestige rather than for security needs. But South Korea is well-positioned to use them effectively.

El Snorkel – The Korean Navy announced its participation in Silent Shark, a joint anti-submarine warfare exercise between Korea and the United States.

(In Spanish) (Thanks to Alain)

The War Zone – South Korea has been eyeing nuclear-powered submarines for years, and hurdles could remain despite a new green light from Trump.

Breaking Defense – Experts warned that the move could spur China or Japan to accelerate their own nuclear sub programs in return.

Breaking Defense – President Donald Trump in a social media post Wednesday said the United States will share sensitive nuclear submarine propulsion technologies with South Korea, a major diplomatic step that the Biden administration had stopped short of granting its key Indo-Pacific ally.

Naval News – The ROK Navy held a Fleet Review marking its 80th anniversary off the coast of Busan from September 25th to September 27th. The event featured a naval parade of 31 warships, including Aegis destroyers, ROK Navy’s submarines, amphibious assault ships, and landing vessels, alongside aircraft and unmanned systems.

The Defense Post – By fully redeploying US forces stationed in Korea and contributing limited naval support, Seoul can help speed up US response times, protect logistics, reduce casualties, and stabilize the region, all without directly engaging China or violating its own security policies.

Naval News – The Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy’s transition toward a MUM-T fleet is becoming increasingly defined, with shipbuilders and aerospace firms unveiling platforms and systems to support future unmanned naval operations via a drone carrier project.

War on the Rocks – In February, South Korea’s navy took a significant step, inaugurating a task fleet command at its Jeju naval base. This development, though years in the making, didn’t go unnoticed by domestic and foreign media, and it certainly caught the attention of the Chinese military’s official media. The idea, first floated 36 years ago, has now materialized at the strategically vital Jeju naval base, which itself opened in 2016 with the 7th Task Flotilla as its backbone.

CIMSEC – When people think about the U.S.-ROK alliance, they often envision the Korean Peninsula: joint ground drills, combined air exercises, and the perennial challenge of deterring a North Korean invasion. But the next chapter of this alliance is unfolding at sea. With the U.S. Navy stretched across multiple theaters—from the Mediterranean to the South China Sea—South Korea’s maritime ambitions are no longer a peripheral concern. They are a strategic asset.

Naval News – At MADEX 2025, HD HHI organized its booth into three sections—Export, Domestic, and Future—to effectively showcase its current progress and future vision for naval capabilities. In the Future section, the company unveiled two concept designs representing its vision for the next generation of drone carriers.

Naval News – ADD (Agency for Defense Development), the agency responsible for South Korea’s defense technology research and development, showcased a Supercavitating Torpedo during MADEX 2025. The torpedo showcased this year featured a different shape and design compared to previously known ADD torpedoes.

War on the Rocks – The art of the deal is back, and so is the price tag on alliances. In this context, South Korea’s ambitions to develop nuclear-powered submarines could become a critical factor in shaping its alliance with the United States. While the program is primarily aimed at countering North Korea’s advancing submarine-launched ballistic missile capabilities, it also carries broader strategic implications.

Naval News – Task Fleet Command of the ROK Navy was established in February, marking another step for the ROK Navy to become a blue-water navy.

The War Zone – The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) recently commissioned the first of its new KDX-III Batch 2 destroyers, ROKS Jeongjo the Great — the service’s largest. Among the many advanced features incorporated in these warships, the latest version of the Korean Vertical Launch System — KVLS-II — is especially interesting. While initially expected to accommodate long-range surface-to-air missiles, the launchers are also planned to add ballistic missiles, which are a growing area of interest for South Korea.

The War Zone – The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Gray Eagle STOL drone has undertaken its first experimental operations from a warship, taking off from the deck of the South Korean amphibious assault ship Dokdo. The Gray Eagle STOL — a design we have discussed in depth in the past — incorporates technology first demonstrated on the company’s Mojave, which was specifically developed with the ability to perform short takeoffs and landings, including from rough fields, with minimal support. The latest development adds to the aviation-capable warships that the wider family of Q-1 lineage drones have now operated from.

AJU Press – The South Korean defense procurement agency on Monday delivered an upgraded 1,200-ton submarine to the Navy following a refurbishment that enhanced its combat and detection capabilities.

(Thanks to Alain)

Yonhap –  South Korea deployed its first group of women members of submarine crews as part of efforts to increase the role of women in the military.

(In French)

(Thanks to Alain)

Naval News – In the 2024-2028 Mid-term Defense Blueprint released by the South Korean Ministry of National Defense on December 12th, detailed plan for the CVX aircraft carrier was nowhere to be found.

Naval News – According to the request for proposal posted by the South Korean Agency for Defense Development, the new VLS prototype’s Required Operational Capability involves delivering a submarine launched ballistic missile with an ejection weight of at least 10 tons.

Naval News – South Korea’s new Hyunmoo-V ballistic missile development is complete according to official sources. The missile is expected to be fitted on a future arsenal ship known as “Joint Strike Ship”, currently being designed for the Republic of Korea Navy.

Wavell Room – South Korea’s possession and development of ballistic missile capabilities has historically been something rarely featured in mainstream discussions and military profiles of the country. This is owing more towards South Korea’s desire to keep its missile capability and related developments as secretive as possible due to geopolitical sensitivities, than general disinterest in the subject both domestically or in international military circles. It is an undeniable fact however, that given North Korea’s ongoing pursuit of developing nuclear weapons and the relevant ballistic missile capabilities to launch them, South Korea would have to make commensurate investments into similar capabilities for its own national security interests and overall survival.

USNI News – During a ceremony that marked the 77th anniversary of its founding on Nov. 11, the Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy revealed a new operational concept combining manned and unmanned systems.

War Zone – South Korea’s ambitious plans to build its first aircraft carrier, known as CVX, appear to be under serious threat, with the news that the project has not been funded as part of the country’s proposed 2023 defense budget. That also raises questions about Seoul’s plans to operate F-35B stealth fighters but should be good news for its submarine fleet, which is earmarked to receive more funding, including for Dosan Ahn Changho class attack submarines capable of launching ballistic missiles.

Naval News – On August 16th, the Republic of Korea Navy confirmed that its first ship-in-class KSS III ballistic missile submarine, ROKS Dosan Ahn Changho, has been operationally deployed for the first time. The feat is the culmination of three years of testing and trials following the submarine’s launch in 2018.