South Korea has confirmed that it is developing a new small modular reactor (SMR) for civilian ships, a technology that one expert said Seoul could modify for use in nuclear submarines to counter North Korea.

The development of the SMR comes as a growing chorus of voices in South Korea pushes for the country to acquire nuclear-powered military capabilities and even nuclear weapons, due to concerns about the U.S. commitment to Seoul’s defense and the DPRK’s rapid development of weapons of mass destruction.

“The small modular reactor is being developed at the Munmu Daewang Science Research Institute under the supervision