Delay in Release of Joint Fact Sheet
The release of the ‘Joint Fact Sheet’ from the South Korea-U.S. trade and security consultations has faced delays, according to the presidential office. The explanation provided by the office is that the delay is due to the need for additional opinions from certain departments during the U.S. review process. A source from the presidential office met with reporters and stated, “It is cautious to specify when (the announcement) will come out,” while offering this explanation.
Earlier, Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik had mentioned during a National Assembly Operation Committee audit that the fact sheet would likely not be released later than this week. However, as of today, nine days after the South Korea-U.S. summit on the 29th of last month, the document has still not been made public.
Postponement of Meetings with Conglomerate Leaders
President Lee Jae-myung had planned to meet with major conglomerate leaders, including Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, who played significant roles in the South Korea-U.S. negotiations. This meeting was intended to discuss follow-up measures. However, due to the delay in releasing the fact sheet, this meeting has been postponed indefinitely.
Reasons Behind the Delays
When asked about whether the emergence of a new issue, such as nuclear-powered submarines, was causing the delay, a source from the presidential office responded, “Delays are occurring due to the need for some textual adjustments in the security field.” The source also noted that coordination among U.S. departments is unclear, stating, “It is unclear how to predict what will happen moving forward.”
Diplomatic circles speculate that U.S. departments such as the State Department and the Department of Energy may have reservations about South Korea’s introduction of nuclear-powered submarines. This speculation adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing discussions.
Content of the Joint Fact Sheet
Regarding whether the Joint Fact Sheet includes provisions related to nuclear-powered submarines, the source said, “It covers all the main issues discussed by the two leaders.” The document addresses uranium enrichment and spent nuclear fuel reprocessing, and it also includes the modernization of the South Korea-U.S. alliance.
Concerning the U.S. construction plan mentioned by former U.S. President Donald Trump, the source stated, “The discussion between the leaders was based on the premise of building it in South Korea,” and added, “According to my records, the president also said, ‘We will build it here.'” This suggests that the U.S. construction of nuclear-powered submarines was not discussed during the South Korea-U.S. summit on the 29th of last month.
However, following the summit, President Trump announced that “it will be built at a shipyard in Philadelphia, U.S.” This statement highlights the need for further coordination with the U.S.
Fuel Supply and Reactor Development
The source also mentioned that regarding the fuel, it has been agreed that the U.S. will supply it, and the South Korean government understands that it will develop and install the reactor. However, this is the position of the South Korean government, and it remains unclear whether the U.S. will agree to this arrangement.