US, South Korea hold nuclear talks in Seoul

US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker and South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo opened bilateral consultations on nuclear cooperation in Seoul on Tuesday and Wednesday. Delegations committed to securing concrete deliverables on an accelerated timeline while establishing benchmarks to assess progress throughout the year, according to a State Department statement released Wednesday. The meetings included sector-specific discussions with interagency representatives from both governments.

According to Yonhap News Agency, citing South Korea's Foreign Ministry, key agenda items included Seoul's push to build nuclear-powered submarines and secure the right to enrich uranium. The talks also addressed expanding shipbuilding cooperation between Washington and Seoul, the report said.

Diplomatic framework

The consultations follow a joint fact sheet issued by US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in November. Washington supported a process that could allow South Korea to pursue civil uranium enrichment and spent-fuel reprocessing for peaceful uses, according to the document. The State Department said the latest talks aimed to build upon that framework.

Both delegations agreed to accelerate future consultations as part of broader efforts to strengthen the bilateral alliance. The discussions marked the latest step in implementing the commitments outlined in the November joint statement.