Seoul (South Korea), Mar 8 (LaPresse/AP) – North Korea has unveiled for the first time a nuclear-powered submarine under construction, a weapon system that could pose a serious security threat to South Korea and the United States. State media today released photos showing what they described as a "nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine," while reporting on leader Kim Jong Un’s visits to major shipyards where warships are being built. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) did not provide details about the submarine but stated that Kim was briefed on its construction.
The military vessel appears to be in the 6,000 to 7,000-ton class and can carry about 10 missiles, according to Moon Keun-sik, a South Korean submarine expert who teaches at Hanyang University in Seoul. He said that the term "strategic guided missiles" indicated that the submarine would carry nuclear-capable weapons. "It would absolutely be a threat to us and the United States," Moon said.
A nuclear-powered submarine was among a long list of advanced weapons that Kim promised to introduce during a major political conference in 2021 to counter what he described as an escalation of U.S.-led military threats. Other weapons included solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles, hypersonic weapons, spy satellites, and multi-warhead missiles. Since then, North Korea has conducted a series of test activities to develop them.