North Korea has launched a freshly built “tactical nuclear attack submarine” capable of conducting an underwater nuclear attack, with leader Kim Jong-un pledging to “further strengthen the state’s nuclear deterrence,” according to North Korean state media.
According to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the North Korean leader attended Wednesday’s launching ceremony for the submarine before the country’s 75th founding anniversary, which falls on Saturday.
The submarine’s launch marked the dawn of a new phase in the DPRK’s efforts to strengthen its Navy. It also demonstrates that the ruling Workers’ Party (WPK) and the government of the DPRK are committed to strengthening the state’s nuclear deterrence in quality and quantity and by leaps and bounds for regional and global peace and security, the KCNA said.
First-of-its-kind tactical nuclear attack submarine No. 841, named the Hero Kim Kun Ok, will “perform its combat mission as one of the primary underwater offensive means” of the North’s naval force.
The fact that the nuclear attack submarine, considered a symbol of invasion against the republic for decades, now symbolises the country’s power that terrifies shameless enemies and that it is a new attack submarine of the nation’s own design unseen by the world is truly something welcomed by all citizens, Kim said during his speech, alluding to the fact that the latest move was intended to counter U.S. nuclear-powered submarines.
Kim demanded the rapid transfer of “underwater and surface vessels outfitted with tactical nuclear weapons” to the Navy, describing the acquisition of nuclear weapons as an “urgent task of the times.”
He noted that the Party Central Committee had resolved to make greater strides in the nation’s shipbuilding industry to guarantee a new golden age of naval force expansion substantially. The expansion of the naval vessel-building industry is the top priority task that must be accomplished without fail, he said, elaborating on the strategic and tactical plan to continuously improve the modernity of the Navy’s underwater and surface forces, as well as to move forward with the nuclear weaponisation of the Navy in the future.
Kim stated that today’s launching ceremony will place an equal burden on the nation’s adversaries as the construction of a nuclear-powered submarine.
In light of the geopolitical situation and “recent aggressive attempts by the enemy,” he emphasised that the accelerated development of the naval force is the “highest priority” for national defence.
Initial images released by the KCNA suggest the newest submarine is equipped with ten missile tubes that are likely capable of launching submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs). However, the reclusive North has not provided any additional information. Some believe North appears to have modified a Romeo-class submarine, which cannot carry an SLBM launcher.
The submarine is also believed to be capable of launching the “Haeil,” the North’s first unmanned nuclear-armed submarine unveiled in March.
