North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has overseen the construction of a new nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine and inspected key munitions factories, underscoring Pyongyang’s determination to accelerate the nuclearization and modernization of its armed forces amid rising regional tensions.
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim Jong Un visited the shipbuilding site of an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered strategic submarine, where he was briefed on the progress of what North Korea describes as a strategic nuclear attack submarine. He was accompanied by senior officials from the warship-building industry and the defence science research and production sectors.
KCNA reported that Kim toured the construction site and received a detailed report, praising workers, scientists and technicians for advancing one of the five key defence tasks outlined at the 8th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea. The project, he said, reflects the country’s self-reliant defence policy and its determination to strengthen naval power through indigenous capabilities.
Kim stressed the importance of the nuclear submarine in reinforcing what he described as a defensive policy based on “the strongest offensive power.” He said North Korea views overwhelming offensive capability as the most reliable shield for safeguarding national security, adding that strengthening the nuclear shield was a historic mission of the current generation.
KCNA quoted Kim as saying that the completion of a new nuclear submarine would mark an “epoch-making crucial change” in assuring both North Korea and its adversaries of the level of its war deterrence. He reaffirmed the party’s resolve to steadily push forward with the nuclear weaponization of the navy and to expand surface and underwater fleets equipped with diverse offensive weapon systems.
During his remarks, Kim also criticized recent moves by South Korea and the United States, particularly Seoul’s nuclear submarine development plan agreed with Washington, calling it an offensive act that violates North Korea’s security and maritime sovereignty. He warned that such steps would worsen instability on the Korean Peninsula and must be countered.
KCNA said Kim emphasized that attack destroyers and nuclear submarines currently under construction would significantly enhance the combat capabilities of North Korea’s fleets and strengthen its strategic sovereignty. He warned that any attempt by adversaries to violate the country’s security would result in a “merciless retaliatory attack.”
In a separate visit reported by KCNA, Kim inspected major munitions industry enterprises to review missile and shell production in the fourth quarter of the year. He was accompanied by senior party officials and defence industry leaders and received reports on production achievements for 2025, the final year of the current five-year plan.
Kim praised the munitions sector for fulfilling its production targets and contributing decisively to defence capability development. He called for development-oriented production plans for 2026, emphasizing the need to expand technical foundations, modernize factories, and prepare for new munitions enterprises expected to be approved at the 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea.
KCNA reported that Kim ratified draft modernization plans for major munitions industry enterprises and stressed that missile and shell production remains central to strengthening the country’s war deterrent, signaling that North Korea’s arms buildup will continue at an accelerated pace.
