Overview
- State media released images of an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered, missile-capable submarine under construction during Kim Jong-un’s shipyard visit.
- Photos depict a largely completed hull that some experts say could mean major components are installed, though the true status remains unverified.
- KCNA said Kim oversaw a new long-range, high-altitude anti-air missile test that struck a target at roughly 200 kilometers over the Sea of Japan.
- On Friday, Kim ordered expanded missile production in 2026 and the construction of new munitions factories to meet projected military demand.
- Pyongyang framed the moves as a response to U.S.-supported South Korean plans for nuclear-propelled submarines, while analysts cited economic and technical constraints and called for caution about operational readiness.