North Korea’s claimed construction of its first nuclear-powered submarine represents a pivotal milestone in the country’s naval modernisation drive, Jane’s reports.
The submarine, described by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) as an “8,700 tonne-class nuclear-powered strategic guided-missile submarine”, was revealed in greater detail in late December 2025 following a visit by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to an undisclosed shipyard.
