Majority of Americans support S. Korea's nuclear-powered submarine project: poll

A recent survey indicates that the majority of Americans back South Korea's plans to develop nuclear-powered submarines, while a substantial portion of the population opposes the acquisition of nuclear weapons by the country. The poll, carried out by the Korea Economic Institute of America and YouGov, questioned 1,207 American adults between August 21 and September 1.

The findings revealed that 58 percent of respondents supported the development of nuclear-powered submarines, with 42 percent expressing opposition. Support for the project was broadly bipartisan, with 56 percent of Democrats and 64 percent of Republicans backing the initiative. Independents showed even higher support, with 62 percent in favor.

South Korea has been advocating for the construction of nuclear-propelled submarines as part of a security agreement reached during a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump in October 2020. Despite the majority of Americans backing the development of nuclear-powered submarines, public opinion diverges significantly when it comes to South Korea possessing nuclear weapons. A staggering 71 percent of those polled were against the idea of Seoul developing nuclear weapons.