Australia has purchased the first British-built components for nuclear reactors that will power its future SSN-AUKUS stealth submarines, marking a significant step in the trilateral AUKUS defence partnership.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on the 25th inspected the construction site of a newly built 8,700-ton-class nuclear-powered strategic ballistic missile submarine.

South Korea and the United States have agreed to pursue a stand-alone agreement on cooperation for nuclear-powered submarines, with working-level talks expected to begin early next year, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said Friday.

North Korea has condemned South Korea’s plan to build nuclear-powered submarines with U.S. approval, warning that it could trigger a “nuclear domino” effect in the region.

Negotiations between the U.S. and South Korea on a trade and security agreement remain unresolved, nearly two weeks after Presidents Donald Trump and Lee Jae Myung announced a breakthrough. Officials say the delay centers on South Korea’s request to build a nuclear-powered submarine.

The Russian Pacific Fleet’s nuclear submarines Krasnoyarsk and Omsk conducted military exercises in the Sea of Okhotsk, successfully launching Onyx and Granite cruise missiles at designated targets, the fleet’s press service announced.

Britain and Australia announced plans to sign a cooperation treaty for the construction of Australian nuclear-powered submarines and expressed support for a review by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration of the United States' role in the trilateral defense deal.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged on Monday that the United Kingdom will construct up to a dozen new nuclear-powered attack submarines, prepare its army for potential conflict in Europe, and transform into "a battle-ready, armor-clad nation."

The UK has awarded Rolls-Royce a £9 billion ($11 billion) contract to design, manufacture, and provide support services for nuclear reactors that power its fleet of submarines.