North Korea touts nuclear-capable submarine, Seoul says 'exaggeration'
North Korea on Friday claimed that it has launched its first operational "tactical nuclear attack submarine," the Hero Kim Kun Ok, after years of development. The vessel is designed to launch tactical nuclear weapons from underwater, said the country's official Korean Central News Agency. However, South Korean officials have expressed skepticism about the submarine's functionality and its readiness for operational duty.
Why does this story matter?
North Korea is notorious for launching missiles to intimidate the United States (US), South Korea, Japan, and their allies. Earlier this year, the country's leader, Kim Jong-un, called for ramping up its nuclear weapons program. A nuclear-attack submarine has long been on Pyongyang's bucket list. North Korea is also said to be a part of the Russia-China bloc opposing the US-dominated world order and is reportedly planning to supply weapons to Russia for its war in Ukraine.
What's the fuss about?
The submarine has been named after North Korean naval officer Hero Kim Kun Ok, who is a historical figure in the country. Photos released by the country's state media show Kim and his naval officers standing in a shipyard with a gigantic submarine. Reports speculate it's a modified Soviet-era Romeo-class submarine that Kim inspected in 2019. The vessel is estimated to have at least 10 launch tubes, four of which are comparatively larger, possibly for missiles.
Seoul questions submarine's functionality
South Korea, however, remained skeptical of Pyongyang's claims about the new submarine, stating that Pyongyang may be exaggerating its capabilities. Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that Pyongyang would have needed to increase the size of the bridge and the vessel's other parts to fit missile launch systems. However, its appearance suggested that it could "not be operated normally," they said. Experts said the heavily modified submarine has inherent limitations but will do the job for Pyongyang.
If successful, what could it mean for Pyongyang and others?
If functional, North Korea's new submarine could expand its nuclear arsenal with systems that are increasingly harder to detect in advance. In recent years, North Korea has tested various missiles that were designed to be fired from submarines. Ballistic missile submarines could become the latest maritime weapon in Pyongyang's growing collection of solid-fuel weapons, that are fired from land vehicles to overwhelm missile defenses in South Korea and Japan.
