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North Korea claims to have its first nuclear submarine

17th March 2025 - 15:28 GMT | by Tony Fyler in London

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A missile fired from a non-nuclear North Korean submarine in 2021. (Photo: KCNA)

If its claims are true, the submarine could have a significant impact on other navies in the region and potentially on US foreign policy.

In early March, North Korean media claimed the country had built its first nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine.

Details on the submarine from the Korean Central News Agency were non-existent, though the Agency explained that Kim Jong Un, the country’s leader, had been briefed on its construction.

Subsequently, a South Korean submarine expert told the Associated Press that the submarine in question looked like a 6,000t or 7,000t model, with the capability to carry around 10 missiles.

The expert, Moon Keun-sik, added that the use of the term “strategic guided missiles” meant it would carry nuclear-capable weapons.

Subsequent speculation in

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