North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un inspected a nuclear-powered submarine factory and oversaw the test firing of a new anti-aircraft missile, condemning the United States and South Korea as threats.
North Korean state media reported that Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un visited a nuclear-powered submarine factory and denounced the military cooperation plan between the United States and South Korea, which pushes Seoul to develop nuclear-powered submarines, describing it as a threat that must be countered.
The report stated that Pyongyang's displeasure escalated after US President Donald Trump approved South Korea's nuclear-powered submarine project during his visit to South Korea in October, provoking strong anger from North Korea, a nuclear-armed state.
However, key details of the project, such as the actual construction site of the submarines, remain unclear. Nuclear-powered submarine technology is one of the most sensitive military secrets heavily guarded by the United States, with only a few countries in the world possessing this technology.
Last month, KCNA issued an analysis criticizing the cooperation as a dangerously confrontational effort and warned that it could lead to a nuclear domino effect in the region.
KCNA further reported that Kim Jong Un stated the current security situation is negative, making the accelerated development and nuclear arming of the navy an urgent task and an unavoidable option.
The North Korean leader also received reports on research into new types of secret underwater weapons and planned strategies for restructuring the navy and establishing new combat units, though KCNA did not disclose detailed information about these projects.
In another report, KCNA said Kim Jong Un also supervised the test firing of a new long-range anti-aircraft missile over the East Sea. State media claimed the missile accurately struck a simulated target at an altitude of 200 kilometers, which, if true, would be in space. Analysts view Kim's moves—showcasing nuclear submarine capability and advanced missiles—as a clear strategic message to the US and its allies amid ongoing fragile security conditions and intensifying arms competition in East Asia.
/source:channelnewsasia
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