North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong-un recently inspected a new project of building a nuclear-powered submarine, media reports said.
According to reports, the North Korean leader warned that his country’s maritime defence capability will be ‘fully’ projected ‘in any necessary waters without limitation’.
Kim made the remark when he visited major shipyards tasked with constructing warships, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) as quoted by Yonhap in its report.
The North Korean news agency did disclose the date and location of the inspection.
During the inspection, the leader reviewed “a nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine” under construction in line with a defense decision unveiled at a key party congress in 2021, reported Yonhap.
This was the first time North Korea revealed that it is creating a ballistic missile submarine (SSBN).
Kim had vowed to create it during the party congress.
Kim “affirmed that the sea defense capability of the DPRK, which is in a responsible and key position for defending peace in the Korean Peninsula and the region, will be fully displayed in any necessary waters without limitation,” Yonhap reported quoting KCNA.
The North’s leader also laid out a task to modernize the country’s maritime and underwater naval vessels, including a goal to develop and possess warships, the news agency reported without elaborating further, the news agency reported.
North Korea revealed its tactical nuclear attack submarine, capable of carrying out an underwater nuclear attack, in September 2023.
Kim had announced his plans to build more submarines at that time.
North Korea warns South Korea and US
North Korea warned South Korea and the US that they will pay a “horrible” price for their joint military exercise that is scheduled to be held soon.
South Korea and the US will participate in the annual Freedom Shield exercise that will begin from Monday.
Criticising the exercise, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a commentary as quoted by Yonhap: “The Freedom Shield has repeatedly undergone its worst modifications, fully equipped with all malicious signs. This will soon bring a storm of aggravating the security situation to the Korean Peninsula.”
“The enemies will pay a horrible price due to their foolish and reckless war drills that will require us to take just measures of a sovereign state for self-defense as well as the toughest threatening action,” the KCNA said.
