What N. Korea's 'nuclear attack submarine' means for navy
North Korea has launched its first operational "tactical nuclear attack submarine" and assigned it to the fleet that patrols the waters between the Korean peninsula and Japan, state media said on Friday (September 8). It's the latest in a series of moves to boost the country's naval might. - REUTERS
Transcript
00:00 "North Korea unveiled its first operational tactical nuclear attack submarine," state
00:06 media said on Friday.
00:08 The boat, named Hero Kim Kanok, has been assigned to the fleet that patrols the waters between
00:13 the Korean Peninsula and Japan, North Korean outlets reported.
00:17 So what is the new vessel, and what does its launch mean for the reclusive country's navy?
00:23 In a speech at the sub's launch ceremony, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said it would become one of the main
00:30 "underwater offensive means" of the naval force.
00:34 North Korea's navy has historically been dwarfed by its land forces and overshadowed by its
00:40 rapidly advancing ballistic missile program.
00:42 But over the past year, it has moved to boost its navy with new nuclear weapons, including
00:48 an underwater drone and warships.
00:51 Analysts say the new vessel appears to be a modified Soviet-era Romeo-class submarine,
00:57 which North Korea acquired from China in the 1970s and began producing domestically.
01:03 Shin Seung-ki is a research fellow at the Korea Institute for Defense Analysis and says
01:08 it is expected to carry tactical ballistic and cruise missiles, but may face limitations.
01:13 "Because it has excessively modified the existing Romeo-class submarine, there may be some limitations
01:21 in immediately operating it compared to the existing one.
01:24 However, there is a possibility that North Korea has strengthened the internal structure
01:29 in some way to ensure operation.
01:32 In that regard, while there may be limitations, it is likely that they will continue to develop
01:37 it to a level where it can be operated at some point in the future."
01:42 Such weapons won't add much value to land-based nuclear forces, added former U.S. government
01:47 weapons expert Van Van Diepen, who works with Washington-based 38 North.
01:52 That's because the aging submarine at the core of the design is relatively slow and
01:56 noisy with a limited range.
01:59 Combined, these factors mean it may not survive long in a war and would be vulnerable to anti-submarine
02:05 warfare, he said.
02:06 South Korea's military said that the submarine didn't appear ready for normal operations
02:11 and that there were signs North Korea was attempting to exaggerate its capabilities.
02:16 North Korea's Navy has about 470 surface vessels and around 70 submarines.
02:23 In August, Kim inspected a new Amnok-class corvette, a patrol ship that state media said
02:28 was capable of firing nuclear-armed cruise missiles.
02:32 Specialist website Naval News dubbed the corvette's weapons and sensors as "severely obsolete"
02:38 in comparison with Western or Asian designs.
02:40 But it maintained that the ship was a major step forward for North Korea, with potentially
02:46 game-changing nuclear cruise missile capability.
02:49 And back in spring, the Navy tested what it called a "nuclear-capable unmanned underwater
02:55 attack weapon."
02:56 It was said to be designed to make sneak attacks in enemy waters, destroy naval strike groups
03:01 and major ports with an underwater explosion.
03:04 A report by 38 North at the time said the weapon's slow speed and limited range made
03:09 it substantially inferior to the existing nuclear-armed ballistic and cruise missiles
03:14 in terms of time to target, accuracy and lethality.