People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Yong-won has introduced a special bill to underpin the steady pursuit of South Korea's nuclear-powered submarine program. Thirty lawmakers signed on as co-sponsors, including People Power Party members and independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon.
At a news conference at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 27th, Yoo outlined five core directions of the proposed Special Act on the Nuclear-Powered Submarine Program. They include consolidating independent regulatory authority under the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission and codifying non-proliferation transparency; establishing a control tower under the direct authority of the president; putting in place a special account along with exceptions for procurement and budgeting; creating a nuclear-powered submarine program office; and institutionalizing unlimited state liability for damages and a safety net for crew members.
Specifically, the bill would consolidate licensing and safety inspection authority under the commission, an independent regulator. It also seeks to codify the use of low-enriched uranium below 20% enrichment and the principle of carrying only conventional weapons, a design intended to enhance non-proliferation transparency and maximize Seoul's negotiating leverage with the United States. The bill would elevate the Nuclear-Powered Submarine Strategy Committee from under the prime minister to the direct authority of the president and add the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as a member.
