Overview
- North Korea's state agency said Kim inspected construction of an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered submarine that can also fire surface-to-air missiles.
- KCNA reported he ordered the naval forces to accelerate nuclear armament, set a restructuring plan, and directed creation of new units.
- The outlet said he observed tests of new long-range, high-flying air-defense missiles that hit decoys at 200 kilometers over the East Sea, a claim not independently verified.
- State media said Kim was briefed on research into "new secret underwater weapons" as part of broader naval modernization.
- Pyongyang framed the push as a response to a U.S. nuclear submarine's port call in Busan and to President Trump's approval for South Korea to build a nuclear-powered submarine.