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Images Released By State Media Show A 8,700-Ton Nuclear Submarine In An Advanced Stage, With Hull Almost Completed And Signs Of Essential Systems Already Installed.
The 8,700-ton nuclear submarine has returned to the center of the security chessboard on the Korean Peninsula after North Korea released new images suggesting significant progress in the project, raising alarms among experts.
The displayed material shows Kim Jong Un inspecting what appears to be the hull of a nearly completed vessel in a shipyard, amid rising tensions and the regime’s criticisms of Seoul’s plans related to nuclear-powered submarines.
What The Images Reveal About The 8,700-Ton Nuclear Submarine
The photos indicate an advanced stage of construction: the hull appears practically finished and coated with anti-corrosive paint, inside an assembly shed.
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According to state media, this is a 8,700-ton nuclear submarine that the regime has already described as a “strategic guided missile submarine” or “strategic nuclear attack submarine,” signaling the capability to carry nuclear weapons.
The project is presented as a centerpiece of North Korea’s naval modernization, emphasizing nuclear deterrence.
Why A Nuclear-Powered Submarine Is So Concerning
A nuclear-powered submarine gives the country greater ability to launch missiles underwater, which tends to be more difficult to detect in advance and increases uncertainty for defense planners.
Still, experts are questioning how close the 8,700-ton nuclear submarine is to being operational, and whether the country, under sanctions, can sustain such a complex system in all its components.
Experts Analyze The Timeline And What “Complete Hull” May Indicate
The technical reading highlighted at the base is that submarines are usually built “from the inside out.” This means that when the hull appears complete, there’s a chance that much of the internal systems is already installed.
An expert quoted states that showing the entire vessel now may indicate that the main equipment has already been placed and that the 8,700-ton nuclear submarine would be close to being launched into the sea, with testing possible in a few months.
Kim Links The Project To Regional Rivalry And Critiques Seoul
The revelation occurs on the same day that Kim criticized South Korean plans related to nuclear submarines, labeling the initiative as an offensive act and a direct threat, using this as an argument to reinforce the need to strengthen his own naval forces.
In the regime’s narrative, the completion of the 8,700-ton nuclear submarine is treated as a historic step to elevate the capacity for deterrence against what it calls enemy threats.
Technology, Sanctions, And Suspicions Of External Support
Doubts persist about how North Korea obtains the technology and materials necessary for a nuclear-powered submarine.
The base mentions speculation about closeness with Russia as a possible route for technical assistance, although there is also an assessment that the country may have developed its own reactor, with or without some level of external help.
Heightened Tension With Tests And Stalled Negotiations
In addition to the naval theme, the base cites that Kim oversaw the test of a new long-range anti-aircraft missile and emphasizes that negotiations to reduce nuclear and missile programs have remained stalled since the failure of the summit with Donald Trump in 2019.
In your assessment, is the 8,700-ton nuclear submarine another step in defensive deterrence or an escalation that makes the region more unstable?
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