“According to The New York Times, North Korea showed the welded hull of a submarine with a nuclear installation, parts for which could be supplied by Russia.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
photo: KCNA, via Agence France-Presse/Getty Images Source: The New York Times
Details: The arms race between North and South Korea has spilled into underwater space as North Korea on Thursday denounced South Korea’s plans to build a nuclear-powered submarine as a security threat and showed off the finished hull of its own nuclear-powered submarine under construction, the newspaper said.
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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has identified the construction of a nuclear submarine as one of his priority weapons during the 2021 Workers’ Party Congress. In March, North Korean state media published a photo of a vessel under construction. On Thursday, North Korean state media released photos showing Kim inspecting the completed hull of what it said was a nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine.
The completed and welded hull “means they have already installed a nuclear reactor inside,” said Hong Min, an expert on the North Korean military at the Korea Institute for National Unification, a government think tank based in Seoul.
Hong Min suggested that North Korea received technological assistance 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 was apparently designed to deliver ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as torpedoes. North Korea has tested various submarine-launched missiles and torpedoes in recent years, claiming they are designed to deliver nuclear warheads.
North Korea has said the development of nuclear weapons is justified by a growing military threat from the United States and its Asian allies, Japan and South Korea.
The publication notes that Kim’s efforts gained momentum after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Literally NYT: “Kim supported Russia’s military efforts by sending troops and large shipments of artillery shells, missiles and other weapons. South Korean intelligence and analysts said Russia repaid North Korea by providing it with fuel and food, as well as materials and technology to modernize its armed forces, including its aging navy and air defense systems.”