Overview
- State media released photos of Kim Jong Un inspecting an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered ‘strategic guided missile submarine’ under construction, with his daughter present.
- KCNA said new long-range, high-altitude anti-air missiles struck mock targets at roughly 200 kilometers, and South Korea’s Joint Chiefs confirmed detecting a launch.
- Submarine specialists say the largely completed hull suggests major systems may be installed and sea trials could be possible within months.
- Kim condemned South Korea’s US-backed plan to pursue nuclear-powered submarines, framing it as a threat that justifies accelerating North Korea’s naval nuclear program.
- Analysts caution that operational readiness and any foreign technical assistance remain unverified despite the apparent progress shown in the images.