South Korea has been considering equipping its naval forces with nuclear attack submarines (SSNs) for the past two to three decades. However, the implementation of such a project has faced regular setbacks due to political, legal, and diplomatic considerations. The 1.2.3 agreement with the United States prohibits South Korea from using fissile material sourced from the U.S.

The future South Korean nuclear attack submarine, similar to the Suffren, will utilize low-enriched uranium.