Overview
- KCNA released images of Kim Jong Un inspecting construction of an 8,700-ton nuclear‑powered strategic guided‑missile submarine, with photos showing a largely completed hull.
- Kim oversaw a Dec. 24 launch of a new long‑range, high‑altitude surface‑to‑air missile that state media said struck targets about 200 km away.
- South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said they detected the launch and had anticipated the activity, citing prepared readiness.
- Kim condemned Seoul’s pursuit of nuclear‑powered submarines with U.S. support and criticized a recent U.S. submarine visit to Busan, casting these as reasons to accelerate naval nuclearization.
- Independent experts say the imagery suggests key systems, possibly including a reactor, may already be installed and that sea trials could be months away, though operational timelines and any external assistance remain uncertain.