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North Korea launches new 'tactical nuclear attack' submarine

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un says arming navy with nuclear weapons is an urgent task and promises to transfer more underwater and surface vessels equipped with tactical nuclear weapons to naval forces.

Reuters

North Korea has test-fired a number of long-range submarine-launched ballistic missiles [SLBMs], as well as short-range SLBMs and cruise missiles that can be fired from submarines. / Photo: Reuters

North Korea has built a "tactical nuclear attack submarine" as part of its effort to strengthen its naval force, the state news agency KCNA reported.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presided over the unveiling ceremony on Wednesday, saying the new sub was part of a "push forward with the nuclear weaponisation of the Navy in the future", according to KCNA on Thursday.

The launching of the submarine, named the Hero Kim Kun Ok, "heralded the beginning of a new chapter for bolstering up the naval force of the DPRK", the KCNA report said, referring to the country by the abbreviation of its formal name.

During the festive ceremony that involved confetti and balloons, Kim stressed "the strategic and tactical plan to continuously enhance the modernity of underwater and surface forces and push forward with the nuclear weaponisation of the Navy in the future", KCNA said.

On Thursday, Kim inspected the submarine as it was preparing for a test cruise.

"Saying that to arm the navy with nuclear weapons arises as an urgent task... he stressed the need to enable the Navy to successfully carry out its strategic duty by hastening the transfer of underwater and surface vessels equipped with tactical nuclear weapons to the Navy", Kim was reported as saying by KCNA.

North Korea to conduct 'tactical nuclear strike drill'

Miniaturised nuclear warheads

It was not immediately clear what missiles the new submarine would be armed with.

North Korea has test-fired a number of long-range submarine-launched ballistic missiles [SLBMs], as well as short-range SLBMs and cruise missiles that can be fired from submarines.

It is also unclear whether North Korea has fully developed the miniaturised nuclear warheads needed to fit on such missiles.

Analysts say that perfecting smaller warheads would most likely be a key goal if the North resumes nuclear testing.

North Korea has a large submarine fleet, but only the experimental ballistic missile submarine 8.24 Yongung [August 24th Hero] is known to have launched a missile.

Tal Inbar, a senior research fellow at the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, said the submarine's huge sail appeared to have room for both ballistic and cruise missiles.

"It won't be long before we will see it launch missiles," he said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.