Tactics Institute for Security and Counter-Terrorism is gravely concerned about North Korea’s first nuclear submarine under construction, which could significantly alter the security calculus in the region. North Korean state media released a bulletin with pictures of dictator Kim Jong-un visiting a North Korean shipyard that is stated to build military ships.
During his visit, Kim “learned about the building of a nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine” as part of the nation’s “important goals … for building the country into an advanced maritime power,” the bulletin stated.
Pictures were released just before the US and South Korea are due to start their annual Freedom Shield joint military drill, which starts and runs until March 20, 2025. A nuclear-powered submarine was among a long agenda of sophisticated weaponry that Mr Kim pledged to introduce during a prominent political conference in 2021 to counter what he called increasing US-led military threats.
The Tactics Institute believes the language that state media used in its announcement suggests that the submarine would be equipped with nuclear-capable weapons. The naval vessel pictured seemed to be a 6,000-ton-class or 7,000-ton-class submarine that was capable of carrying 10 missiles.
The introduction of a nuclear-powered submarine into service would greatly increase North Korea’s threat as it could deliver underwater missile launch ability, which is challenging to notice. This could exacerbate tensions with longtime adversaries the US and South Korea, with which North Korea is technically still at war. Though combating ended in 1953, the two countries never marked a peace treaty.
How North Korea operates to support its nuclear weapons and missile programme remains vague, given that serious sanctions have struck its economy for many years. Still, Pyongyang has pushed ahead, finding support to design new weapons systems despite UN Security Council sanctions, and despite the reality that much of the population frequently goes hungry.
Precautioning about North Korea’s submarine developments, the country’s actions may be odd and bad, the Kim regime’s determination to develop weapons that can threaten South Korea, Japan and the US should not be minimized and should be addressed urgently.
