North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the country is building a nuclear-powered submarine with a displacement of 8.7 thousand tons during a visit to a shipbuilding site, according to the state media KCNA.
According to KCNA, Kim “guided the construction” of an “atomic strategic submarine with guided missiles” and was briefed on the project’s progress. He described its completion as an “epochal and key change” that should strengthen North Korea’s military deterrence, with KCNA portraying the submarine as a core element of the country’s naval modernization.
KCNA said the submarine project is part of a defense development program approved at the VIII Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea and is included among “five major tasks” aimed at boosting defense capabilities.
The report also noted parallel construction of surface combatants, including destroyers, as well as other submarines. Kim said these efforts should enhance the navy’s combat capabilities and expand its strategic potential.
KCNA did not provide a timeline for the submarine’s completion or entry into service.
Source: Port News
