North Korea unveils nuclear-powered submarine

North Korea has revealed its first nuclear-powered submarine under construction, a development that experts believe could increase security concerns for South Korea and the United States.

State media released photos on Saturday of what it referred to as “a nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine,” while reporting that leader Kim Jong Un had inspected major shipyards where warships are being built.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) did not disclose detailed specifications of the vessel but confirmed that Kim had been briefed on its construction progress.

According to Moon Keun-sik, a submarine expert and professor at Seoul’s Hanyang University, the submarine appears to be a 6,000-ton-class or 7,000-ton-class vessel capable of carrying around 10 missiles. 

He said the terminology “the strategic guided missiles” strongly suggests the inclusion of nuclear-capable weapons. “It would be absolutely threatening to us and the US,” Moon said.

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The nuclear-powered submarine is part of a broader array of advanced weapons systems Kim pledged to develop during a 2021 political conference, citing growing US-led military threats. 

His stated goals also included solid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missiles, hypersonic weapons, spy satellites, and multi-warhead missiles—many of which have since seen varying levels of testing.

Analysts opined that the capability to fire missiles from underwater presents a heightened threat, as such launches are harder to detect in advance. 

However, questions remain over how North Korea, under heavy international sanctions and economic constraints, has been able to secure the technology and materials required for nuclear submarine development.

Moon suggested that Russian technical support may have played a role in the submarine project, possibly in exchange for North Korea’s conventional arms and military personnel to support Russia’s war in Ukraine. He added that the submarine could be ready for test-launches within the next one to two years.

North Korea currently maintains one of the world’s largest submarine fleets, with an estimated 70 to 90 diesel-powered submarines. However, most are outdated and limited to launching torpedoes and mines. 

In 2023, Pyongyang claimed it had launched its first “tactical nuclear attack submarine,” but experts remained sceptical, suggesting it was likely a modified diesel-powered vessel unveiled in 2019. Moon noted there has been no verified deployment of that submarine.

Despite numerous underwater missile tests since 2016, all have originated from a single 2,000-ton-class submarine equipped with one launch tube. Experts widely view it as a test platform rather than an operational combat vessel.

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