South Korea Issues Draft Law for Jangbogo-N Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarine Program With Nonproliferation Commitments

South Korea's defense ministry issued a public legislative notice on July 29 for a special act governing acquisition, operation and nuclear-safety management of the Jangbogo-N nuclear-powered attack submarine program, opening a public-comment period through September 7 before submission to the National Assembly, with enactment targeted before the end of 2026 123. The draft bill states the program is not intended to develop, manufacture or possess nuclear weapons, bars diversion of nuclear material, and commits South Korea to Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty compliance and IAEA safeguards cooperation 123. It establishes a prime minister-chaired strategy committee, exempts the program from standard defense-acquisition feasibility studies, and shortens R&D and testing timelines 24. South Korean media report the plan envisions at least three roughly 8,000-ton boats fueled by low-enriched uranium below 20 percent enrichment, with the lead vessel targeted for launch in the mid-2030s, though officials have not formally confirmed the displacement or fleet size 123. The Cabinet separately approved reorganization of MND and DAPA program offices into a Nuclear-Powered Submarine Policy Planning Bureau and Nuclear-Powered Submarine Program Office, effective August 14 1.