North Korea says it has launched its first operational tactical nuclear attack submarine. The submarine will fulfill its “combat mission as one of the core elements of the underwater offensive vehicles”.
With these words, ruler Kim Jong-un was quoted by the state-controlled media on Friday.
Equipping the navy with nuclear weapons should be promoted in the future. After participating in the launch ceremony on Wednesday, Kim inspected submarine number 841 “Hero (Hero) Kim Kun Ok” before the first test run a day later. The South Korean military expressed doubts about the submarine’s operational capability.
The construction of such a submarine is seen in connection with Kim’s goal of expanding his country’s nuclear capability. North Korea, which considers the United States a hostile state, wants to have the full range of nuclear weapons and missiles. North Korea is subject to international sanctions over its nuclear weapons program.
“Part of the state’s nuclear deterrent”
Kim had recently announced a further upgrade with tactical nuclear weapons in response to stronger defense cooperation between the US, South Korea and Japan. The navy must be “part of the state’s nuclear deterrent”.
It remained unclear how many missiles the new submarine could carry and fire. According to South Korean media, photos from the North Korean news agency KCNA revealed ten launch tubes that could be intended for so-called submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM). North Korea had tested such missiles several times in the past.
The country is prohibited by UN decrees from launching or testing ballistic missiles. Depending on the design, such missiles can be equipped with nuclear warheads. SLBMs are considered weapons of special strategic value. Missiles fired from a submerged aircraft carrier are more difficult to detect by the enemy.
Experts assumed that the new North Korean submarine was a modification of a Soviet Romeo-class type. It appears that “North Korea has blurred the stern and propellers of its new submarine to hide the origins of its outdated 1950s design,” wrote defense and military analysis expert Joseph Dempsey on the online Platform X, formerly Twitter.
The South Korean military, along with the United States, has been monitoring preparations for the launch of the new North Korean submarine, the general staff in Seoul said. An analysis of the external features revealed that parts had been enlarged to carry missiles. However, the submarine in its current form does not appear to be suitable for “normal use,” the report said.
(yam/sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
