South Korea could push to add nuclear-powered submarines to its naval fleet to defend against North Korean weapons threats, if progressive presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung wins in March.

Announcing a series of national defense and security pledges on Friday, Lee suggested that Seoul could create similar conditions as those that enabled Canberra to sign the U.S.-U.K.-Australia nuclear pact (AUKUS) to acquire its first nuclear submarines.

“I will push forward with building a nuclear-propelled submarine that is capable of long-term underwater ambush, surveillance and reconnaissance to prepare for North Korea’s nuclear weapons threat,” Lee said on Friday at a briefing, stressing