U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday said Washington will undertake interagency efforts to help implement President Donald Trump’s pledge allowing South Korea to build nuclear-powered submarines at a U.S. shipyard.

Speaking after annual security talks with South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back, Hegseth said the U.S. would work with the Departments of State and Energy “in a deliberate manner” to fulfill the commitment. Trump had approved the plan following President Lee Jae Myung’s request last week to secure nuclear fuel for submarine construction.

“The president wants our allies to be strong and have the best capabilities,” Hegseth stated, praising South Korea’s “incredible” shipbuilding industry and calling the collaboration “mutually beneficial.”

The U.S. defence chief also reaffirmed the alliance’s deterrence posture against North Korean threats and indicated that flexibility for regional contingencies, including the Taiwan Strait, would be reviewed.

Hegseth and Ahn held their first Security Consultative Meeting since assuming office, reaffirming that the decades-long U.S.–South Korea alliance remains “stronger than ever.”