North Korea has unveiled its first operational “tactical nuclear attack submarine” and deployed it to the fleet responsible for patrolling the waters between the Korean peninsula and Japan. 

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un personally attended the launch ceremony, emphasising the urgency of arming the navy with nuclear weapons, according to state media reports on Friday.

He pledged to transfer additional underwater and surface vessels equipped with tactical nuclear weapons to the naval forces, as reported by the North Korean news agency KCNA.

The submarine, designated as Submarine No. 841 and named Hero Kim Kun Ok after a North Korean historical figure, is intended to play a pivotal role as “one of the core underwater offensive assets” of North Korea’s naval forces, Kim Jong Un stated.

North Korea further revealed plans to retrofit its existing submarines with nuclear-armed capabilities and expedite the development of nuclear-powered submarines.

Kim stressed that rapidly advancing their naval forces is imperative, particularly in response to perceived aggressive actions by the United States and South Korea.

While details about the specific missiles carried by the new submarine remain undisclosed, North Korea has previously conducted tests of submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and cruise missiles.

The development of miniaturised nuclear warheads for these missiles would be a significant milestone for North Korea.

Although North Korea possesses a substantial submarine fleet, only the experimental ballistic missile submarine 8.24 Yongung has been known to launch a missile. The unveiling of this new nuclear-armed submarine adds a concerning dimension to regional security and raises further questions about the state’s nuclear capabilities.