President Lee Jae Myung has dismissed opposition lawmakers' calls for self-defensive nuclear armament as “irresponsible talk.”

Lee said during a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Seoul's Yongsan District on Tuesday that uranium enrichment and the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel are not smooth or quick processes and that the matter has raised serious concerns.

He also pointed out that nuclear armament talks involving the United States have faced significant difficulties.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun confirmed at the meeting that the United States is concerned about politicians advocating for South Korea to acquire nuclear weapons, which Lee said stands as an obstacle.

Cho explained that it would be impossible to obtain consent for nuclear weapons from the U.S. or the international community, adding that the nation would have to withdraw from the Non-Proliferation Treaty, as North Korea has.

Lee underscored that pursuing nuclear armament could bring penalties, including economic sanctions, and urged the foreign ministry to prevent political circles from making irresponsible remarks on the matter.

As the government seeks to revise the South Korea-U.S. nuclear cooperation framework agreement, the People Power Party's calls for nuclear arms are growing louder.

During a summit in early October, Lee asked U.S. President Donald Trump to allow South Korea to obtain fuel for a nuclear-propelled submarine equipped with conventional weapons, rather than nuclear arms, saying the move could significantly reduce the U.S. military's burden.