North Korea's state media revealed new images of what it claims is its first nuclear-powered submarine, an 8,700-ton vessel equal in size to some of the United States Navy's Virginia-class attack submarines, marking a significant escalation in the regional arms race.
The pictures released by state media showed leader Kim Jong Un inspecting the guided-missile submarine at an indoor construction facility. Submarine expert Moon Keun-sik at Seoul's Hanyang University noted that showing the entire vessel indicates most equipment has been installed and it could be tested at sea within months.
The submarine features an elongated, high sail with at least five vertical launch tube covers, with space for a possible second row bringing the total to ten tubes. Building a nuclear-powered submarine has been a long-held goal for Kim, who first discussed it at a ruling party congress in 2021.
The arms race for nuclear-powered submarines is accelerating between North and South Korea amid shifts in US security strategy. South Korea recently received blessing from the Trump administration to pursue its own nuclear-powered submarines, adding urgency to Kim's plans. Some analysts link North Korea's progress to closer ties with Russia since the Ukraine war, including speculation of technology transfers.
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