North Korea shows finished hull of nuclear-powered submarine, parts for which reportedly supplied by Russia – NYT

North Korea has shown a welded submarine hull with a nuclear propulsion system and Russia has reportedly supplied parts for it.

Source: The New York Times

Details: The outlet notes that the arms race between North and South Korea has expanded to the undersea domain after the DPRK on Thursday condemned South Korea's plans to build a nuclear-powered submarine as a security threat and demonstrated the finished hull of its own nuclear-powered submarine, which is still under construction.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un identified the construction of a nuclear-powered submarine as one of his priority weapons at the Workers' Party congress held in 2021. In March, North Korea's state media published photos showing the vessel under construction. On Thursday, they posted photos of Kim inspecting the finished hull of what they called a nuclear strategic guided-missile submarine.

"​The completed and welded hull means that they have already mounted a nuclear reactor inside," said Hong Min, an expert on the North Korean military at the Korea Institute for National Unification, a government-funded think tank based in Seoul.

Hong Min suggested that North Korea had received technological help from Russia in exchange for providing troops and weapons to support Moscow's military actions against Ukraine.

According to military experts, the North Korean submarine appears to have been intended to deliver ballistic and cruise missiles as well as torpedoes. In recent years, North Korea has tested various submarine-launched missiles and torpedoes, claiming they are intended to deliver nuclear warheads.

North Korea said its development of nuclear weapons is justified by growing military threats from the US and its Asian allies, Japan and South Korea.

The report notes that Kim's efforts gathered momentum after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Quote: "Kim has aided Russia's war efforts by sending troops and large shipments of artillery shells, missiles and other weapons. South Korean intelligence officials and analysts said Russia had reciprocated by providing North Korea with fuel and food, plus materials and technologies to help modernise its military, including its decrepit navy and air-defense systems."

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