Overview
- State media released images of a largely completed hull as Kim Jong Un inspected an assembly hall and called naval nuclear armament an urgent priority.
- KCNA described the craft as a nuclear‑propulsion, missile‑launching submarine, though the platform’s true operational status remains unverified.
- A former South Korean submarine officer said the full‑hull reveal suggests most equipment may be installed and the vessel could be near launch, a view independent experts treat cautiously.
- KCNA also reported a test of a new long‑range, high‑altitude anti‑air missile, claiming a strike on a target at roughly 200 kilometers over the Sea of Japan.
- Pyongyang framed the showcase as a response to U.S.-backed South Korean plans for nuclear‑propulsion subs authorized by President Donald Trump, and Kim appeared with his daughter Kim Ju‑ae before later ordering expanded missile production for 2026.