North Korea has released new photos of what it claims is its first nuclear-powered submarine, a giant vessel that appears roughly as large as many United States attack subs. The images show leader Kim Jong Un smiling in front of a towering hull inside an indoor shipyard, with senior officials clustered around him. State media says the project marks a key leap in the country’s ability to carry nuclear weapons at sea.
The submarine is described as an 8,700 ton class vessel, putting it in the same weight range as most Virginia class nuclear attack submarines in the US Navy. That kind of size hints at room for more powerful reactors and longer-range missiles, although none of those details have been confirmed. Outside journalists have not been allowed near the site, and the photos released through the Korean Central News Agency cannot be independently verified.
A massive submarine still under construction
In the official images, the submarine rests on supports inside a vast assembly hall rather than floating at a pier. That detail suggests the boat has not yet been launched and is still in the construction phase. The hull is coated in reddish anti-corrosion paint, a standard step before a vessel is moved to the water.
North Korean media says the new boat has a displacement of 8,700 tons and will be powered by a nuclear reactor. That would make it similar in size to many American attack submarines, which are built to travel quietly over long distances and stay hidden underwater for extended periods. For a country that until recently relied on much smaller, diesel-fueled subs, that is a striking visual change.
Submarines are typically assembled from the inside out, so a nearly complete outer shell can indicate important machinery is already in place. Moon Keun-sik, a submarine expert at Hanyang University in Seoul, says a finished hull often means the engine and possibly the reactor have been installed and the vessel could be ready for launch within months. He also cautions that the true timeline and performance will only become clear once the submarine conducts sea trials.
What nuclear power means at sea
A nuclear-powered submarine uses a small reactor to heat water and drive turbines, creating energy without the need to burn diesel fuel. That setup lets the vessel stay underwater for months at a time, limited more by crew endurance and food supplies than by fuel. For neighbors like South Korea and Japan, it also means a harder-to-track platform in already tense waters.
According to North Korean statements, the new boat is meant to serve as a strategic guided missile submarine and a strategic nuclear attack submarine. In plain terms, officials are signaling that it is designed to carry nuclear-armed missiles that can be fired from beneath the surface. Launches from a hidden submarine are much more difficult to detect in advance than those from land-based launchers, which is why experts see such a vessel as a serious potential shift in the region’s security balance.
Kim ties the project to a wider weapons plan
Kim Jong Un has talked about building a nuclear powered submarine since at least 2021, when he presented a long wish list of advanced weapons at a major ruling party meeting. That program also included solid-fuel intercontinental missiles, hypersonic glide vehicles, and military satellites. Several of those projects have already produced tests and new hardware on display.
In the latest report, the Korean Central News Agency quotes Kim saying that North Korea’s defense policy is a defensive one that relies on the “strongest offensive power.” He describes “super powerful offensive capability” as the best shield for the country’s security and calls the nuclear powered submarine an important step in modernizing and nuclear arming the navy.
For ordinary people watching from Seoul or Tokyo, that kind of language sounds like another reminder that the missile alerts on their phones may keep coming.
South Korea and the race for nuclear-powered submarines
North Korean media has strongly criticized South Korea’s own interest in nuclear powered submarines, which has been discussed with support from the United States.
During his shipyard visit, Kim labeled the South Korean effort an offensive act that threatens his country’s security and maritime sovereignty. In Pyongyang’s narrative, that is a key reason to push even harder on its own nuclear naval program.
South Korea has argued that nuclear powered submarines would help it track Northern missile launches more effectively and strengthen its alliance with Washington. The recent arrival of American nuclear submarines in South Korean ports has already drawn angry statements from Pyongyang.
For people on the peninsula, the result is a slow moving undersea arms race that plays out far from view but hangs over daily life like a constant background worry.
Kim’s daughter and the unanswered questions
One of the most watched details in the new photos is not a piece of steel but a teenager. Kim’s daughter, widely believed to be Kim Ju Ae, appears at his side inside the submarine hall, just as she has at several recent missile tests and military ceremonies. Her repeated presence at high-profile weapons events has fueled speculation that she could one day succeed her father.
Many technical points remain murky despite the bold claims. North Korea has not disclosed what type of reactor the submarine will use, how safely it can be operated, or when the boat will begin sea trials. Some analysts say the country’s closer ties with Russia may have helped it secure reactor know-how or other advanced technology, although those assessments are difficult to verify from the outside.
The main official announcement has been published by the Korean Central News Agency. The official statement on this submarine project was published on Xinhua’s English site.
Image credit: Korean Central News Agency
