North Korea Releases Photos of Submarine Equipped with Nuclear Engine for Extended Underwater Travel

North Korea has taken a major step forward in its military goals, releasing photographs that appear to show a new submarine equipped with a nuclear engine. State media agency KCNA published the images on Thursday, showing leader Kim Jong Un inspecting the massive vessel at a shipyard. This development, if confirmed, marks a significant leap in technology for the isolated nation. It fulfils a promise made by Mr Kim five years ago to build a nuclear-powered submarine capable of travelling long distances underwater without being detected.

The photos reveal a submarine that experts estimate to be around 8,700 tonnes. This is much larger than the vessels North Korea has operated in the past. In the images, Mr Kim is seen walking along a gantry next to the black hull, which appears largely complete. According to the reports, the submarine is designed to carry nuclear-tipped missiles and can remain submerged for months at a time. This specific capability—staying underwater without needing fresh air—is what makes nuclear submarines so dangerous and difficult to track.

Why Nuclear Power Changes Everything

To understand why this is such a worry for the world, one must understand the difference between diesel and nuclear engines. Most of North Korea's current fleet runs on diesel engines. These submarines are like hybrid cars; they use batteries when underwater, but they must come to the surface frequently to run their diesel engines and recharge. This process, called 'snorkelling', makes a lot of noise and can be spotted by radar or aircraft.

A nuclear-powered submarine is different. It carries a small nuclear reactor on board that generates its own electricity and heat. It does not need air to work. This means the submarine can stay deep underwater for as long as the food for the crew lasts. It can travel faster and further than a diesel submarine. For military planners in the United States and Japan, this is a nightmare scenario. It means a North Korean submarine could theoretically sail across the Pacific Ocean and sit off the coast of California, ready to fire missiles, without anyone knowing it is there.

A Promise Kept by Kim Jong Un

This event has been expected for some time. Back in January 2021, during a major political meeting, Kim Jong Un produced a wish list of advanced weapons he wanted to build. Top of that list was a nuclear-powered submarine. At the time, many outside observers were unsure if North Korea had the money or the technical skills to build one. Building a nuclear reactor small enough and safe enough to fit inside a metal tube is very difficult. Only six other countries in the world—the UK, USA, France, China, Russia, and India—have managed to do it.

In September 2023, North Korea launched a submarine named 'Hero Kim Kun Ok'. While that vessel could carry nuclear missiles, it was still powered by diesel engines. Experts called it a 'Frankenstein' submarine because it looked like an old design that had been cut apart and stitched back together. This new vessel, however, appears to be a completely new design, suggesting that North Korean engineers have received outside help or have made rapid progress on their own.

Regional Alarm Bells Ring

The reaction from North Korea's neighbours has been swift and serious. In Seoul, the South Korean military has been placed on high alert. South Korean officials called the development an 'offensive act' that threatens peace in the region. They are worried because their own anti-submarine systems are designed to catch noisy diesel submarines, not quiet nuclear ones.

Japan has also expressed grave concern. The Japanese government stated that this technology violates United Nations resolutions, which ban North Korea from developing ballistic missile technology. There is a fear that this will lead to a new arms race in Asia. If North Korea has a nuclear submarine, South Korea and Japan might feel they need to build their own to stay safe.

The Strategic Threat

The main goal of this submarine is to give North Korea a 'second strike' capability. In a nuclear war, the first thing an enemy would try to do is destroy North Korea's missile launchers on the ground. But if North Korea has a submarine hidden deep in the ocean, it can survive that first attack and fire back. This guarantees that any country attacking North Korea would suffer damage in return.

Mr Kim stated during his visit that the submarine is a 'strategic necessity' to counter the United States. With the submarine's hull largely finished, the next steps will be installing the delicate internal equipment and testing the reactor. While it may still be a year or more before the submarine can go on patrol, the message from Pyongyang is clear: they are now a naval power to be reckoned with.