South Korea eyes nuclear submarines to counter North Korea

South Korea's planned nuclear-powered submarine fleet could eventually operate beyond the Korean Peninsula, with military experts arguing that the vessels could protect vital sea lanes, strengthen undersea cooperation with the United States and play a broader role in the Indo-Pacific.The debate over the programme has increasingly shifted from whether Seoul needs nuclear-powered submarines to how and where they should be deployed. While countering North Korea's growing submarine and nuclear capabilities is expected to remain their primary mission, experts say their long underwater endurance and ability to conduct extended operations could allow them to undertake missions across the wider Indo-Pacific.The assessments come after a senior US Navy official questioned whether South Korea had a clear security rationale and concept of operations for the costly vessels, particularly if they were intended to operate mainly in waters close to the Korean Peninsula.Moon Keun-sik, a submarine expert who formerly headed the nuclear-powered submarine project…