Kim Jong-un is interested in North Korean submarine power as he visits the newly built submarine.

North Korea has been steadily strengthening its submarine capabilities, including the recent discovery of a submarine capable of carrying a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM).

According to the Defense White Paper on July 23, North Korea has underwater power consisting of 70 ships, including submarines and submersibles.

The Submarine Jung is the representative asymmetric power of North Korea, and it performs duties such as disturbance by maritime traffic, mine laying, attack of the ship of the ship, and infiltration support of special warfare unit.

North Korea's submarines are submarines such as 20 Romeos (1,800 tons) submarines, 40 sharks (325 tons), 40 salmon (130 tons) and 10 submersibles. I am building a submarine.

The SLBM launched from a submarine capable of stealthy maneuvering is difficult to capture and defend, and the ROK military has carefully monitored the development of North Korean SLBM-equipped submarines.

North Korea was successful in launching the SLBM 'Polaris-1' test in August 2016, and it was reported that it developed 'Polaris-3 type' that improved performance.
However, SLBM's launching base, Shinpo-class submarine (2,000 t), has only one launcher, and it lacks the capability of submersible.

We have to float to the surface every few hours to replenish the air. It can be easily captured by the US-ROK surveillance system, and it is less likely to penetrate the missile defense system because we can shoot only one SLBM.

It has been consistently reported that North Korea is constructing a new submarine that is larger than a Shinpo class submarine capable of launching multiple SLBMs in the past few years.

North Korea's specialist media, 38 North, also said in a report last month that a submarine likely to be a Shinpo-class ballistic missile submarine appears to be being built at the North Shimpo shipyard.
Some analysts say North Korea is ultimately aiming to build a nuclear-powered submarine, but some analysts say it will not be easy to build a large-scale submarine in a short period of time because it is hard to get the materials needed to build a submarine due to high-intensity North Korean sanctions.

Kim Dong-yeop, a professor at Kyungnam University's Far East Institute of Problems, said, "North Korea did not disclose the whole picture, but it looks like a new ship, not a nuclear-powered submarine." "I would not be an SLBM-equipped submarine that can be used for two or three launchers." Said.

The North Korean media reported on the inspection of Kim Jong Eun that he did not disclose the specifications of the submarine, but it is presumed to be the newest in view of the fact that it was a "new dry submarine".

(Photo: Korea Central News Agency, Yonhap News)