North Korea Unveils Tactical Nuclear Submarine
On Friday, August 8, the leader of North Korea, dictator Kim Jong Un, participated in a ceremonial "launch" of the country's first atomic submarine capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons, according to reports from North Korean media cited by Reuters.
The launch of submarine No. 841, named "Hero Kim Gun Ok" in honor of a North Korean military officer and political figure, was held to mark the 75th anniversary of the formation of North Korea. Kim Jong Un stated that the atomic submarine marks a "new chapter in strengthening the North Korean naval forces," emphasizing its role in carrying out important military tasks and becoming one of the primary underwater offensive assets of the North Korean Navy. The new submarine will be deployed to patrol territorial waters near Japan.
However, Kim Jong Un did not provide any technical specifications of the first ship in North Korea's underwater strike fleet during the ceremony.
According to experts cited by Reuters, the submarine launched into the water appears to be a modification of an old Soviet Project 633 diesel-electric submarine (NATO classification "Romeo") that North Korea acquired from the USSR and China in the 1970s. The "Hero Kim Gun Ok" is equipped with ten launchers for launching short-range tactical nuclear missiles, but doubts have been raised within the expert community about its capability to carry out actual missile launches.
"As a platform, it will have some fundamental limitations and vulnerabilities," said Joseph Dempsey of the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Vann Van Diepen, a former US government arms expert, pointed out that the basis for the outdated submarine model has several technical deficiencies for conducting effective military operations in modern conditions. These limitations include noise levels, sluggishness, and limited operational range, making North Korea's "superweapon" vulnerable to anti-submarine forces from the United States, Japan, and South Korea.
The BBC report also noted that Kim Jong Un is planning to visit another dictator, Vladimir Putin. The North Korean leader's visit to Moscow is scheduled for September of this year. According to American officials, the leaders of North Korea and Russia will discuss the possibility of providing Moscow with weapons to continue its illicit war in Ukraine.