For nuclear deterrence North Korea shows progress in the construction of a nuclear submarine
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has visited a shipyard to inspect the construction of a nuclear-powered submarine. North Korea has indicated that it will equip its nuclear submarine with nuclear weapons.
25.12.2025, 20:13
dpa
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- North Korea is building a nuclear-powered submarine as a deterrent against enemy threats.
- Leader Kim Jong Un has now visited a shipyard to inspect the construction of the 8700-ton class submarine.
- North Korea refers to the vessel as a "strategic guided missile submarine" or "strategic nuclear attack submarine".
North Korean state media have shown images of progress in the construction of a nuclear-powered submarine. Leader Kim Jong Un visited a shipyard to inspect the construction of the 8700-ton class submarine, the state news agency KCNA reported on Thursday. It published pictures showing a largely finished hull, apparently coated with anti-corrosion paint.
Kim said that when the submarine is completed, it will provide an epochal boost to nuclear deterrence against enemy threats. South Korea's efforts to build a nuclear-powered submarine with US help are an "offensive act" that seriously violates North Korea's security and maritime sovereignty. It is therefore necessary to arm the North Korean navy with nuclear weapons.
North Korea has indicated that it will equip its nuclear submarine with nuclear weapons. It refers to the vessel as a "strategic guided missile submarine" or "strategic nuclear attack submarine". Nuclear-powered submarines can operate submerged for long periods and launch missiles from underwater. This would be worrying for other states because preparations for such launches are difficult to detect in advance.
The KCNA report did not reveal when Kim was at the shipyard. It shows him in an assembly hall with high-ranking officials and his daughter. It was the first time since March that North Korean state media had published images of the submarine.
It remained unclear how much progress North Korea has made with the construction, which experts believe is being supported by Russia. Moon Keun Sik from Hanyang University in Seoul said that submarines are usually built from the inside out. The largely completed hull therefore indicates that many core components have already been installed. North Korea may test the submarine at sea in a few months' time.
