AUKUS Deal Cited as Catalyst Behind U.S. Push for Asian Nuclear Subs

North Korean officials have pointed to the AUKUS partnership as evidence of a broader U.S. strategy to spread nuclear submarine technology across the Asia‑Pacific. In a statement issued by the state news agency, a foreign‑affairs analyst argued that Washington is using the AUKUS model to persuade South Korea and Japan to adopt nuclear‑propelled vessels.

The analyst described the United States’ “AUKUS 2.0” plan as a concerted effort to extend nuclear maritime capabilities to non‑nuclear‑armed allies. The policy, according to the commentary, is now entering a large‑scale expansion phase.

AUKUS, originally announced in 2021, formally linked the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia in a security cooperation that enabled Australia to build a fleet of nuclear‑powered submarines with American technology. The success of that program is being touted as a template for potential future agreements with Seoul and Tokyo.

Pyongyang warned that such moves would undermine the global nuclear non‑proliferation regime and urged the North Korean leadership to continuously strengthen its own nuclear deterrent in both quantity and quality.