On Thursday, North Korean state media released photos that could signal a major leap in the country’s naval capabilities-a nearly finished hull of an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered submarine.
North Korea’s Submarine Milestone
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim Jong Un visited a shipyard to inspect the construction of what the North describes as an 8,700-ton-class nuclear-propelled submarine. Kim called the vessel a “strategic guided missile submarine” or a “strategic nuclear attack submarine” and said its completion would be an “epoch-making” change that would strengthen North Korea’s nuclear war deterrent.
State-media photos show Kim inspecting a large, burgundy-colored vessel coated with what appears to be anti-corrosion paint. Senior officials and his daughter are also visible inside the assembly hall. These are the first images of the submarine released since March, when the agency had only shown the lower sections of the ship.
Kim’s Critique of South Korea’s Nuclear-Submarine Plans
During the visit, Kim condemned South Korea’s efforts to acquire its own nuclear-powered submarine, which have been backed by U.S. President Donald Trump. He described the South Korean plan as an “offensive act” that “severely violates the North’s security and maritime sovereignty.” Kim said the South’s initiative further underscored the need for North Korea to advance its own nuclear-armed navy.
Expert Assessment of the Submarine’s Status
Moon Keun-sik, a submarine expert at Seoul’s Hanyang University and a former submarine officer in the South Korean navy, said that submarines are typically built from the inside out. “Showing the entire vessel now seems to indicate that most of the equipment has already been installed and it is just about ready to be launched into the water,” Moon explained. He added that the North Korean submarine could possibly be tested at sea within months.
While it is not immediately clear how close North Korea is to completing the vessel, the release of a largely completed hull suggests that many core components-including the engine and possibly the reactor-are already in place.
North Korea’s Broader Military Ambitions
The nuclear-powered submarine is one item on a long wish list of sophisticated weaponry that Kim announced during a major political conference in 2021 to counter what he called growing U.S.-led military threats. Other weapons on the list include solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles, hypersonic weapons, spy satellites, and multi-warhead missiles.
North Korea has conducted a series of tests to develop some of those systems and recently unveiled a new naval destroyer. Kim hailed the destroyer as a major step toward expanding the operational range and preemptive strike capabilities of the country’s nuclear forces.
South Korea’s Pursuit of a Nuclear-Powered Submarine
During a summit with Trump in November, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called for U.S. support for South Korea’s efforts to acquire nuclear-powered submarines, while reaffirming a commitment to increase defense spending to ease the burden on the United States. Trump later said that the United States is open to sharing closely held technology to allow South Korea to build a nuclear-powered submarine, but it is not clear where and when the vessel would be built or how Seoul would obtain the nuclear fuel and reactor technology required.
Recent Military Tests and Rising Tensions
KCNA reported that Kim supervised tests of new anti-air missiles fired into the sea on Wednesday. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff later said it had detected the North launching several missiles from an eastern coastal town, and that South Korean and U.S. intelligence agencies were assessing the details of the weapons.
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have worsened in recent years as Kim accelerated his nuclear program and deepened alignment with Moscow following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. His government has repeatedly dismissed calls by Washington and Seoul to revive negotiations aimed at winding down his nuclear and missile programs, which derailed in 2019 following a collapsed summit with Trump during the American president’s first term.
Key Takeaways
- North Korea has shown a largely completed hull of an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered submarine, indicating many core components may already be installed.
- Kim Jong Un condemned South Korea’s pursuit of a nuclear submarine as an offensive act that violates North Korea’s sovereignty.
- Submarine expert Moon Keun-sik believes the vessel could be tested at sea within months, suggesting rapid progress.
North Korea’s recent alignment with Russia and its ongoing military tests underscore a continued push to expand its strategic deterrent, while South Korea’s pursuit of similar capabilities has drawn U.S. support but remains technically and logistically uncertain. The evolving dynamics on the peninsula signal a heightened risk of miscalculation amid competing nuclear ambitions.
