North Korea has unveiled its very first nuclear-capable submarine that is being built, a notable military development which could be a serious security threat to the United States and South Korea.

On Saturday, state media published photos of what it referred to as a “nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine”, as it underscored Kim Jong Un’s recent tours of major shipyards. Kim was reportedly briefed on the progress of the construction, though no technical details were provided by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

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A Major Threat to Regional Security

Analysts speculate that the submarine might be a 6,000 to 7,000-ton-class vessel capable of carrying about 10 missiles. Moon Keun-sik, a Seoul-based submarine analyst at Hanyang University, underscored the gravity of this development.

“It would be totally threatening to us and the U.S.,” Moon said, noting that the use of the phrase “strategic guided missiles” likely means nuclear-tipped weapons aboard.

North Korea has been trying to build sophisticated military technologies for years as a reaction to what it refers to as “increasing U.S.-led military threats.” In 2021, Kim vowed to work on solid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), hypersonic missiles, spy satellites, and multi-warhead missiles. Pyongyang has been carrying out regular tests since then to advance its military capabilities.

Russian Support Suspected in Nuclear Submarine Development

One of the central questions is how economically embattled and sanctioned North Korea has managed to obtain the resources and technology needed to construct a nuclear-powered submarine. Analysts theorize that Pyongyang might have had Russian assistance in return for providing conventional weapons or soldiers for the conflict in Ukraine.

Moon posited that North Korea can deploy the submarine for testing purposes within one or two years prior to complete deployment.

North Korea’s Growing Submarine Fleet

North Korea has 70-90 diesel submarine vessels, which is one of the largest submarine fleets in the world. However, they are mostly old and not capable of firing missiles. Although Pyongyang announced in the past that it launched a “tactical nuclear attack submarine” in 2023, experts remain doubtful, as it was believed to be possibly an upgraded diesel-powered submarine.

Since 2016, North Korea has launched underwater-launched ballistic missiles but has employed only one 2,000-ton-class submarine with a single launch tube, and most analysts consider it to have been a test platform and not an operational submarine.

Kim Jong Un’s Vision for Naval Expansion

As tensions rise before U.S.-South Korea military exercises, Kim reaffirmed North Korea’s devotion to the development of surface and underwater warships.

On his visit to the shipyard, he emphasized the necessity for North Korea to build “incomparably overwhelming warships” capable of countering what he termed as the “inveterate gunboat diplomacy of hostile forces.”

This newest military development is a sign that North Korea is continuing its move to build up its naval force, further escalating regional tensions.