North Korea on December 25 released new photos of its first nuclear-powered submarine, revealing that the vessel, which will be armed with guided missiles, is nearing completion.
The photos released by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) showed leader Kim Jong Un inspecting the submarine at an indoor construction facility. They indicate that substantial progress had been made on the submarine, the existence of which was first announced in March.
KCNA said the submarine has a displacement of 8,700 tons, that’s more than four times the displacement of the Sinpo-class guided missile diesel attack submarine, the largest currently in service with the Korean People’s Navy.
At least size wise, the new North Korean submarine appears to be very much on par with the latest nuclear attack submarines from around the world, including the Virginia-class of the United States Navy and the Yasen-class of the Russian Navy.
The general design of the submarine also has some more modern features, the most notable of which is large flank array sonars.
Building a nuclear-powered submarine has been a long-held goal for North Korea, who first discussed it at a ruling party congress in 2021.
With an unlimited range, enhanced stealth, and months-long endurance, nuclear-powered submarines offer the ability to project power globally. Currently only the U.S., Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom and India possess the technology.
However, in October, South Korea South Korea was given the approval of the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to build its own nuclear submarine.
Kim, while inspecting the new nuclear submarine, said that the U.S.-South Korean agreement is a threat to stability in the region, calling it an “offensive act,” according to KCNA.
He said Seoul’s plan to build nuclear submarines “will worsen the instability in the region of the Korean Peninsula” and stressed that Pyongyang regards it “as an offensive act severely violating its security and maritime sovereignty and a threat to its security that must be countered.”
Kim said that given the current situation, it is an “urgent task and indispensable option to further accelerate the radical development of the modernization and nuclear weaponization of the naval force” of North Korea.
Unlike Seoul, Pyongyang is a nuclear power, meaning nuclear submarines would allow it to secure a second-strike capability.
The photos shared by KCNA indicate that the new submarine is equipped with five openings for submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), in addition to six 533 mm torpedo tubes. North Korea has already tested a number of SLBMs, including the Pukguksong-6 which is said to have a range of up to 12,000 kilometers, and may be developing nuclear-armed land-attack cruise missiles that can be fired from torpedo tubes.
Aside from the submarine, Kim also observed the test-firing of a “new-type high-altitude long-range anti-air missile” on December 24, according to KCNA, which said that the new missile successfully hit a mock target at a range of 200 kilometers.
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All in all, it appears that North Korea’s first nuclear submarine is nearing completion. The submarine could be launched soon, even possibly next year. However, it will likely take much more to enter into service, as it will have to go through extensive testing. Meanwhile, South Korea may not get its first nuclear submarine until 2035.
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