Anthony Albanese Plays Down Fears Over AUKUS After Trump’s Shock Nuclear Submarine U-Turn for South Korea
- US President Donald Trump’s surprise deal to share nuclear submarine technology with South Korea has raised concerns about the future of AUKUS
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has brushed off questions about the impact on Australia’s submarine program, saying he is confident the US can deliver on both pacts
- But experts warn that the deal could complicate elements of AUKUS delivery for Australia and reduce US staff capacity to support the establishment of the program
Anthony Albanese has moved to allay fears about the future of AUKUS, after US President Donald Trump’s stunning decision to share nuclear submarine technology with South Korea. The Prime Minister insists he is not concerned about the deal’s potential impact on Australia’s submarine program, despite warnings from experts that it could create complications.
In a dramatic shift, Trump announced on Wednesday that he would green-light South Korea’s request to access nuclear-powered submarine technology, in a move that breaks with the Biden administration’s stance. The US President also revealed that the submarines would be built by South Korea in the US port city of Philadelphia, with the South Korean conglomerate Hanwha investing billions to modernise the facility.
But Albanese played down the significance of the submarine announcement, saying it was a matter for the US and Korea. “These bilateral arrangements are a matter for the United States and Korea,” he told journalists.
Experts, however, are more cautious. Euan Graham from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute warned that the deal could “run on a separate track from AUKUS,” which would reduce the chances of it disrupting the trilateral program between the US, the UK, and Australia. But Jennifer Parker, a naval analyst, said the agreement might still complicate elements of AUKUS delivery for Australia, particularly if it reduces US staff capacity to support the establishment of the program.
Former senior public servant Mike Pezzullo, who led Australia’s 2009 Defence White Paper, told the ABC that incorporating South Korea’s significant shipbuilding capability could end up bolstering AUKUS. “Having South Korean capital and technical expertise injected into the submarine industrial base will only benefit AUKUS,” he said.
The federal government will be closely monitoring any impacts the deal might have on the US submarine workforce, particularly as one of the main reasons the US has struggled to lift submarine production is because of skilled labour shortages. But with the Trump administration prioritising integrated deterrence of China and North Korea, it remains to be seen how the deal will unfold.