Updated October 29, 2025 at 5:40 PM CDT
President Trump says he has given South Korea permission to build a nuclear-powered submarine following trade negotiations in the country, saying in a post on Truth Social that "Our Military Alliance is stronger than ever before."
Trump followed up in a separate post to say that the submarine would be built in Philadelphia. "Shipbuilding in our Country will soon be making a BIG COMEBACK," he wrote.
It's unclear what the timeline for such a project would be.
The news followed earlier announcements about trade and investment plans between the two countries. The U.S. and South Korea affirmed that Seoul is investing $350 billion into the U.S. following months of trade talks, including how that money would be distributed.
All the details of the agreement are yet to be released, but the Korean government said $150 billion of the investment will go toward revitalizing U.S. shipbuilding. Tariffs on South Korean goods will also be lowered from 25% to 15%.
Trump met South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung in Gyeongju during the APEC summit. Korea is the last stop on a three-nation tour in Asia for Trump. His final meeting is with Chinese President Xi Jinping, also on the sidelines of the summit in South Korea.
Copyright 2025 NPR
