North Korea announced on Friday (September 7) that it had built a “tactical nuclear attack submarine” as part of its efforts to strengthen its naval force.
The new submarine was unveiled Wednesday in a ceremony chaired by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, according to state news agency KCNA.
The launch of the submarine, named Hero Kim Kun Ok, “marked a new chapter in strengthening the DPRK’s naval forces,” according to the state agency, which refers to the abbreviation of Korea’s official name North.
An “urgent task”
During the ceremony with confetti and balloons, Kim discussed the “strategic and tactical plan to continuously strengthen the modernity of the submarine and surface forces and the advancement of the navy’s nuclear armament in the future,” according to KCNA.
He further stressed that “arming the Navy with nuclear weapons is becoming an urgent task,” according to KCNA.
On Thursday, Kim Jong-un inspected the submarine as it prepared to conduct a test trip.
