By Ju-min Park, Trevor Hunnicutt and Tim Kelly SEOUL/WASHINGTON/TOKYO, Dec 5 (Reuters) - South Korea's pursuit of nuclear-powered submarines is gaining traction following President Donald Trump's endorsement,

President Lee Jae Myung reaffirmed wanting to build nuclear-powered submarines at home, despite President Trump’s suggestion that they be built in the United States.

South Korea’s pursuit of nuclear-powered submarines is gaining traction following U.S. President Donald Trump’s endorsement, ending decades of U.S. resistance in a move that could reshape Asia’s security landscape and escalate an underwater arms race.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Wednesday he’s weighing a possible apology to North Korea over suspicions that Seoul’s former conservative leader intentionally sought to raise military tensions between the war-divided rivals in the buildup to his brief martial law declaration in December.

S EOUL -- South Korean President Lee Jae Myung sought to ease international concerns over the country’s nuclear ambitions on Monday, drawing a clear line between pursuing nuclear-powered submarines and any intent to develop nuclear weapons during a foreign press briefing at the presidential office in Seoul.

Lee has launched charm offensives in a bid to manage the high-stakes relationship with Seoul's main ally, praising Trump for his "peacemaker" role on North Korea and presenting him with a replica of a gold crown on a trip to South Korea.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said regular joint military drills with the US could be reviewed in order to facilitate dialogue with North Korea, in his latest olive branch to Pyongyang as he seeks to reduce tensions with the nuclear-armed neighbor.

South Korea will raise defense spending by 7.5% next year to $44.8 billion, the Ministry of National Defense said.

The authorities arrested four people this week in the latest turn in the country’s effort to stop exploitative recordings.

South Korea's presidential office confirmed Thursday that six of its citizens have been captive in North Korea for years, after President Lee Jae Myung appeared unaware of their plight during a