North Korea Unveils Nuclear Submarine

North Korea has unveiled a nuclear-powered submarine under construction, a significant military advancement that poses a major security threat to South Korea and the United States. State media, North Korea — Korean Central News Agency, released photos of what it called 'a nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine' during leader Kim Jong Un's visits to major shipyards. Experts like Moon Keun-sik suggest the vessel is a 6,000-7,000-ton-class submarine capable of carrying about 10 nuclear-capable missiles. This development is part of Kim Jong Un's 2021 pledge to introduce sophisticated weaponry to counter perceived U.S.-led military threats, including solid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missiles and hypersonic weapons. The ability to launch missiles from underwater makes detection difficult for rivals. Questions have arisen regarding how North Korea, a heavily sanctioned country, acquired the necessary technology, with speculation pointing to Russian technological assistance in exchange for conventional weapons and troops for Russia's war efforts against Ukraine. North Korea is expected to launch the submarine for testing within one to two years. This comes amidst heightened rhetoric from North Korea against the United States and South Korea ahead of their annual military drills.