North Korea showcases progress on nuclear-powered submarine as Kim criticises South

North Korea has signalled apparent progress in the construction of a nuclear-powered submarine, releasing new state media images that appear to show a largely completed vessel, even as leader Kim Jong Un denounced South Korea’s efforts to acquire similar technology.

According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim recently visited a shipyard to inspect work on what Pyongyang describes as an 8,700-tonne nuclear-propelled submarine. The vessel has been portrayed by the North as a key element in the modernisation and nuclear armament of its navy, and is expected to be equipped with nuclear weapons.

During the inspection, Kim criticised South Korea’s pursuit of a nuclear-powered submarine — an initiative that has received backing from US President Donald Trump — calling it an “offensive act” that seriously infringes on North Korea’s security and maritime sovereignty. He argued that Seoul’s plans only reinforced the need for Pyongyang to strengthen its naval nuclear capabilities.

KCNA said Kim described the submarine programme as an “epoch-making” step in boosting North Korea’s nuclear deterrence against what he characterised as hostile threats. While the agency did not disclose the date of the visit, it released photographs showing Kim inspecting a massive, burgundy-coloured submarine hull inside an assembly hall, accompanied by senior officials and his daughter. The hull appeared coated with anti-corrosion paint and far more complete than images released earlier this year.

Experts say the images suggest significant progress. Moon Keun-sik, a submarine specialist at Hanyang University in Seoul, noted that submarines are typically constructed from the inside out. “If the hull is largely complete, it indicates that many core systems, including the engine and possibly the reactor, may already be installed,” he said, adding that sea trials could take place within months.

A nuclear-powered submarine was among a list of advanced weapons unveiled by Kim at a key political meeting in 2021, alongside solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles, hypersonic weapons, reconnaissance satellites and multiple-warhead missiles. Since then, North Korea has carried out a series of tests aimed at developing these capabilities.

The prospect of Pyongyang deploying a nuclear-powered submarine has raised concern among regional security analysts, as missiles launched from underwater platforms are more difficult to detect in advance. However, doubts remain over whether North Korea, constrained by heavy international sanctions and limited resources, can independently build and operate such a vessel.

Some analysts believe North Korea’s closer alignment with Russia, including reported military support for Moscow’s war in Ukraine, may have resulted in technological assistance in return. While speculation has emerged that Russia could have provided a reactor, Moon said it was more likely that North Korea developed its own design, potentially with limited external support.

Separately, KCNA reported that Kim on Wednesday oversaw a test of a new long-range anti-air missile fired towards the country’s eastern waters. South Korea’s defence ministry did not immediately comment on the launch.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have escalated in recent years as North Korea accelerates its nuclear and missile programmes and deepens ties with Russia. Pyongyang has repeatedly rejected calls from the United States and South Korea to resume talks aimed at curbing its weapons development, negotiations that collapsed in 2019 during Kim’s last summit with Trump.

With IANS inputs