Launched from 3,000-Ton Tactical Nuclear Attack Submarine: Photos Released

[Anchor]

As if attempting to exploit cracks in the South Korea-U.S. alliance, North Korea has engaged in another missile provocation. Yesterday (October 14), it launched two types of "submarine-launched strategic cruise missiles" in DONGHAE. The submarine, which North Korea claimed was designed for "tactical nuclear attacks," appears to have been mobilized three years after its launch.

Reporter Kim A-young has the details.

[Reporter]

These are photographs released by North Korea's General Missile Bureau, claiming it test-fired two types of "submarine-launched strategic cruise missiles," known as SLCMs, in the waters of DONGHAE yesterday.

With one flying vertically and the other flying diagonally, analysts assess that they were launched from the submarine's vertical launch tube and torpedo tube, respectively.

Looking at the shape of the bridge, it matches the "Hero Kim Kun Ok," which North Korea claimed as its first 3,000-ton "tactical nuclear attack submarine."

The "Hero Kim Kun Ok" significantly enlarged the hull of a Soviet-designed Romeo-class diesel submarine by expanding it to accommodate 10 vertical launch tubes, earning it the nickname "Frankenstein submarine" due to its unusual exterior appearance.

At the time of its launch ceremony in September 2023, the South Korean military assessed that it did not appear capable of normal operation, but weapons launches now seem to have taken place roughly three years later.

[Shin Jong-woo / Secretary General, Korea Defense and Security Forum: Whether it was the engine or some other reason, there seem to have been issues so severe that the submarine couldn't test its weapons systems until now. It appears they have improved all of that this time and conducted tests for each launch method.]

While calling for the strengthening of its naval nuclear forces, North Korea is accelerating the operational deployment of 5,000-ton-class destroyers, unmanned underwater vehicles, and submarine capabilities.

Although the South Korean military made no separate announcement yesterday, it stated that it had been monitoring the North Korean military's movements.

[Jang Doyoung / Head of the Public Affairs Office, Joint Chiefs of Staff: Through diverse surveillance assets, we continuously tracked and monitored the movements of North Korea's cruise missiles before launch, throughout their flight, and through the final termination phase.]

Amid North Korea's testing of "submarine-launched missiles" in DONGHAE yesterday, a U.S. Navy high-altitude unmanned reconnaissance aircraft and a U.S. Army reconnaissance and electronic warfare aircraft were also reported to have flown over DONGHAE yesterday.

Video by Kim Hyun-sang | Video Editing by Jung SUNGHOON
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.