North Korea is showcasing what appears to be progress on a nuclear-powered submarine, with state media photos showing a largely completed hull.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea’s state media, said on Thursday leader Kim Jong Un visited the shipyard to examine the construction of what it describes as an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine.
Kim Jong Un, accompanied by officials in the sectors of the warship-building industry and the defence science research and production, received a report on its progress.
During the visit, Kim denounced South Korea’s US-backed nuclear submarine development plan, describing it as an “offensive act” that he said severely violates the North’s security and maritime sovereignty.
He added that South Korea’s ambitions further underscore the need to advance and nuclear arm North Korea’s navy. “Given the negative security situation that has come as present reality only, it is an urgent task and indispensable option to further accelerate the radical development of the modernization and nuclear weaponization of the naval force,” he said.
The North has indicated it plans to arm the submarine with nuclear weapons, calling it a “nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine.”
Kim Jong Un clarified the “steadfast will and the strategic and tactical policy to steadily push forward with the nuclear weaponization of the navy,” according to a KCNA report.
According to plans, North Korea will develop the navy and its strategic components in a constant and diverse way, steadily increase and expand the speed and scale of building various surface and underwater warships and continuously equip them with different offensive weapon systems.
KCNA did not specify when Kim visited the shipyard. It was also not immediately clear how close North Korea is to finishing the submarine.
The move to build a nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine comes amid South Korea’s expansion into the U.S. maritime sector.
The United States and South Korea have recently released details of a trade agreement that includes a $150bn Korean investment in the US shipbuilding sector, approved by the United States.
South Korea and U.S. signed on November 14 a memorandum of understanding implementing the agreement announced on July 30.
Under the agreement, the White House said that South Korea will build nuclear-powered attack submarines as part of the Korea Strategic Trade and Investment deal.
A fact sheet released by the White House said the US gave approval for Seoul to build nuclear-powered attack submarines and that South Korea will invest $150bn in the shipbuilding sector.
In addition, the United States approved the construction of nuclear-powered attack submarines in South Korea.
