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Confusion arises over Lee's submarine tracking comments at summit

Published: 30 Oct. 2025, 12:14

President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump are seen attending a Korea-U.S. luncheon at National Gyeongju Museum on Oct. 29. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

GYEONGJU, North Gyeongsang — During Wednesday’s South Korea–U.S. summit, President Lee Jae Myung’s request for nuclear-powered submarine fuel sparked confusion after his comment about “tracking North Korean or Chinese submarines” was translated to U.S. President Trump as “countering activities from other countries,” raising questions over diplomatic nuance and the government’s subsequent clarification.

During an expanded luncheon on Wednesday at the summit, Lee said, “It would be helpful if the president could make a decision to allow us to be supplied with nuclear-powered submarine fuel,” and added, “Diesel-powered submarines have limited submerged endurance, making it difficult to track submarines coming from the direction of North Korea or China.”

By bringing up North Korea and China during his remarks at a press event, Lee made the case for adopting nuclear-powered submarines official.

This differs from the presidential office’s later clarification that Lee was not referring to any specific countries. At 7:53 p.m. Wednesday, the presidential office sent a press release explaining, “The expression simply refers to submarines appearing near our waters in the direction of the north and China.”

The explanation appeared to come in response to concerns that Lee’s remarks could lead to diplomatic friction.

U.S. President Donald Trump moves to shake hands with Korean President Lee Jae Myung as he receives a gift of a gold crown and an award of the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, not seen, during a high honor ceremony at the Gyeongju National Museum in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, Oct. 29. [AP/YONHAP]

Video footage from the White House suggests the interpretation given to Trump at the summit may have left room for a different understanding. The interpreter relayed Lee’s remark as, “They can not really effectively monitor and counter any undersea activities from other countries.”

While country names were not explicitly mentioned, the interpreter referred to regional activity, which could have led Trump to understand it as referring to countries active in the area, such as China or Russia.

This stands at odds with the presidential office’s explanation that no specific countries were named.

“If we can build several submarines equipped with conventional weapons using our own technology and carry out defense operations in the East and West Seas, it could significantly reduce the burden on U.S. forces,” Lee also said.

The remark appeared to align with Washington’s hopes that Seoul would join in checking Beijing’s growing military presence.

The interpreter said this as “by providing the patrol and other activities,” a translation some interpreted as suggesting a broader scope of military operations if Korea were to operate nuclear-powered submarines.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY SHIM SEOK-YONG [[email protected]]