The government pledged Tuesday to fully uphold Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty obligations, as it moves forward with a plan to build nuclear-powered submarines and acquire the right to reprocess spent nuclear fuel.

The commitment was made during a high-level policy meeting in Seoul where Lee Chul, director of the International Organizations and Nuclear Affairs Bureau at the foreign ministry, met with Massimo Aparo, head of the Department of Safeguards at the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Lee Chul (L), director of the International Organizations and Nuclear Affairs Bureau at the foreign ministry, shakes hands with Massimo Aparo, head of the Department of Safeguards at the International Atomic Energy Agency, at the foreign ministry in Seoul on Tuesday, in this photo provided by the ministry. (Yonhap)
Lee Chul (L), director of the International Organizations and Nuclear Affairs Bureau at the foreign ministry, shakes hands with Massimo Aparo, head of the Department of Safeguards at the International Atomic Energy Agency, at the foreign ministry in Seoul on Tuesday, in this photo provided by the ministry. (Yonhap)

Lee assured the IAEA that Seoul will cooperate transparently with the nuclear watchdog. In response, Aparo thanked the Korean government for the briefing and expressed his hope to work closely with Seoul, according to the ministry.

They discussed developments in IAEA safeguards implementation and exchanged views on preparedness for verifying North Korea's nuclear program. They also agreed to maintain close consultations going forward, including through policy meetings.

In October, US President Donald Trump gave the green light to Seoul to deploy nuclear-powered submarines, and acquire the right to enrich civil uranium and reprocess spent nuclear fuel for peaceful uses. (Yonhap)