North Korea Constructs Its First Ever Nuclear-Powered Submarine

North Korea has announced that it is building its first ever nuclear-powered submarine. State media released photographs on Saturday, showing leader Kim Jong Un inspecting a large submarine under construction at a shipyard.

This is the first time North Korea has publicly revealed a nuclear-powered submarine.

Military analysts believe that the submarine could weigh between 6,000 and 7,000 tons and might be capable of carrying around ten missiles, including nuclear-capable ones.

The term “strategic guided missile submarine” used in state media reports suggests that the vessel is designed for launching both ballistic and cruise missiles.

A submarine with nuclear propulsion would be a major upgrade from North Korea’s current fleet, which consists of aging diesel-powered submarines that must resurface frequently.

A nuclear-powered submarine could travel long distances without surfacing, making it harder for the U.S. and South Korea to detect and respond to missile launches.

Experts warn that if the submarine becomes operational, it would pose a serious security threat, as North Korea would be able to launch nuclear attacks from underwater with greater stealth.

There are unconfirmed reports that North Korea may have received technological support from Russia to develop the submarine. Per reports, Pyongyang may have supplied conventional weapons and possibly troops to help Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine in exchange for this assistance in building a nuclear reactor for the submarine.

North Korea has been under heavy international sanctions for years, making it difficult to acquire advanced military technology.

However, some analysts believe that Russian support could help Pyongyang overcome key technical hurdles in developing a nuclear-powered vessel.

Kim Jong Un has been pursuing advanced military technology for years. In 2021, he outlined a list of sophisticated weapon systems he intended to develop, including hypersonic weapons, nuclear-powered submarines, spy satellites, solid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missiles, and multi-warhead missiles.

Since then, North Korea has conducted multiple weapons tests, including submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) tests. However, these tests have been carried out using a 2,000 ton class submarine with only one launch tube.

Many experts view this vessel as more of a test platform rather than an operational submarine. North Korea claimed to have launched its first “tactical nuclear attack submarine” in 2023. But there has been no confirmation that it is in active service.

During his visit to the shipyard, Kim Jong Un discussed the importance of modernising both surface and underwater warships. He declared that North Korea’s naval forces should have “incomparably overwhelming warships” to counter what he described as “gunboat diplomacy” by hostile forces.

Analysts predict that North Korea may take one to two years to complete and test the nuclear-powered submarine before it can be deployed. However, due to the complexity of nuclear propulsion technology, the timeline could be uncertain.

North Korea currently has an estimated 70 to 90 diesel-powered submarines, making it one of the world’s largest submarine fleets. However, most of these vessels are outdated and are only capable of launching torpedoes and mines.

References: AP News, NYTimes

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