North Korea unveils first tactical, nuclear-armed submarine

KCNA/Reuters

North Korea has launched its first operational “tactical nuclear attack submarine” and assigned it to the fleet that patrols the waters between the Korean peninsula and Japan, state media mentioned on Friday.

Submarine No. 841 – named Hero Kim Kun Ok after a North Korean historic determine – will probably be one of many principal “underwater offensive means of the naval force” of North Korea, chief Kim Jong Un mentioned on the launch ceremony on Wednesday.

Analysts mentioned the vessel seems to be a modified Soviet-era Romeo-class submarine, which North Korea acquired from China within the Nineteen Seventies and started producing domestically. Its design, with 10 launch tube hatches, confirmed it was almost certainly armed with ballistic missiles and cruise missiles, analysts mentioned.

But such weapons will not add a lot worth to the North’s extra sturdy land-based nuclear forces, as a result of the ageing submarines used because the core of the brand new design are comparatively noisy, sluggish and have restricted vary, which means they could not survive as lengthy throughout a conflict, mentioned Vann Van Diepen, a former US authorities weapons professional who works with the 38 North challenge in Washington.

“When this thing is field deployed, it’s going to be quite vulnerable to allied anti-submarine warfare,” he mentioned. “So I think from a sort of hard-headed military standpoint this doesn’t make a lot of sense.”

South Korea’s navy mentioned that the submarine did not seem prepared for regular operations, and that there have been indicators North Korea was making an attempt to magnify its capabilities.

At the launch ceremony, Kim mentioned arming the navy with nuclear weapons was an pressing process and promised extra underwater and floor vessels outfitted with tactical nuclear weapons for the naval forces, news company KCNA reported.

“The submarine-launching ceremony heralded the beginning of a new chapter for bolstering up the naval force of the DPRK,” KCNA mentioned, utilizing the initials of the North’s official identify, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

North Korea plans to show different present submarines into nuclear-armed vessels, and speed up its push to finally construct nuclear-powered submarines, Kim mentioned.

“Achieving a rapid development of our naval forces … is a priority that cannot be delayed given … the enemies’ recent aggressive moves and military acts,” the North Korean chief mentioned in a speech, apparently referring to the United States and South Korea.

North Korea’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes are banned by United Nations Security Council resolutions, and the submarine launch drew condemnation from South Korea and Japan.

“North Korea’s military activity is posing graver and more imminent threat to our country’s security than before,” Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno instructed a briefing.