North Korea on Friday said that it has launched a nuclear attack submarine as part of efforts to counter the naval power of the United States and its allies in Asia. The submarine has been in development for several years amid tensions with the US.
According to North Korean state media, the vessel named 'Hero Kim Kun Ok' has been designed to launch tactical nuclear weapons from underwater. The submarine is said to be Kim Jong Un's increasing efforts to build a nuclear-powered navy to counter the US, although it is unclear how many missiles can the vessel carry or fire.
Kim expressed satisfaction of the new submarine and its capabilities to give a stiff competition to US advanced naval assets in his speeches at the essel's launching ceremony on Wednesday and an inspection on Thursday. This comes after the US docked a nuclear submarine in South Korea for the first time in four decades.
The North Korean Supreme Leader also shared plans of remodeling its existing submarines and surface vessels for nuclear purposes, calling it an "urgent task". Pyongyang has also been testing a variety of missiles as part of its 'war preparations' and the latest addition to its nuclear arsenal is a major source of worry for South Korea and Japan, both of whom are key US allies.
However, some analysts say that it would take considerable time and resources for North Korea to build a fleet of submarines that can execute attacks in the manner it speaks about, even as it has been actively engaged in increasing its nuclear stockpile.
Meanwhile, Kim is speculated to visit Russia and meet President Vladimir Putin amid reports that Russia might be using North Korean arms to refills its reserves for the ongoing war in Ukraine. In return, Pyongyang could seek economic and military aid from Russia for its nuclear weaponry and spy satellites.
Tensions rise between North Korea and US allies
In the latest confrontation between Pyongyang and American allies in Asia, North Korea fired several cruise missiles into the sea last week in efforts to extend its weapons testing activities in response to the US-South Korea military drills.
The firing of missiles comes two days after the militaries of the US and South Korea wrapped up their 11-day training exercises that North Korea regards as a rehearsal for invasion. Washington and Seoul officials maintain their drills are defensive. The North said it was separately holding a command post exercise aimed at rehearsing an occupation of South Korea's territory in the event of conflict.
North Korea, since the start of 2022, has performed over 100 weapons tests with several of them being ballistic launches which are banned by United Nations Security Council resolutions. Though North Korea’s cruise missile tests aren't barred, they pose a threat to the rivals as they are designed to fly at a lower altitude to evade detection from the radars.
Kim said he would bolster efforts to build powerful warships and modernize shipboard and underwater weapons systems for the North's navy. He called for the country's sailors to build “overwhelming ideological and spiritual strength,” saying that is more important than the numerical or technical superiority of weapons, according to KCNA.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement North Korea's report on its cruise missile tests contained “an exaggeration” and was "not consistent with the facts". It said South Korea's military will maintain firm readiness based on its capacity to overwhelmingly defeat potential North Korean provocations.
(with AP inputs)
ALSO READ | North Korea launches cruise missiles into sea days after US-South Korea military drill conclusion
