Highlights: North Korea: new cruise missile launches in the presence of Kim Jong-un. One of the missions announced as part of the modernization of the army is to achieve the “nuclearization of the navy” North Korea intends to convert its older Romeo-class submarines to make them capable of carrying tactical nuclear missiles. But very old and very noisy, they cannot move significantly away from the North Korean coast, because they are easily detectable and above all they do not have the autonomy that a nuclear submarine would offer.

Kim Jong-un carried out an inspection of a nuclear-powered submarine under construction on Sunday, according to state media. One of the missions announced as part of the modernization of the…

North Korea: new cruise missile launches in the presence of Kim Jong-un

Kim Jong-un carried out an inspection of a nuclear-powered submarine under construction on Sunday, according to state media. One of the missions announced as part of the modernization of the regime's army is to achieve the “nuclearization of the navy”. And while North Korea's fleet is improving, it appears to need outside help to achieve its ambitious goals.

North Korea, December 28, 2024: New cruise missile launches were carried out from a submarine, in the presence of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, from the port of Shinpo in the east of the country via REUTERS - KCNA

By: RFI Follow

with our correspondent in Seoul,

Nicolas Rocca

From the port of Shinpo in the east of the country, Kim Jong-un supervised

missile launches

and inspected the construction of a future nuclear-powered submarine. Although the North Korean press agency released photos of the new cruise missile tested for the first time last week, no photos of the submersible have leaked.

Read alsoIn North Korea, new cruise missile launches this Sunday, in the presence of the North Korean leader

North Korea intends to convert its older Romeo-class submarines to make them capable of carrying tactical nuclear missiles. But very old and very noisy, they cannot move significantly away from the North Korean coast, because they are easily detectable and above all they do not have the autonomy that a nuclear submarine would offer. Silent, and theoretically capable of remaining submerged for several months, it would drastically increase the nuclear threat to the North Korean regime.

Last September Kim Jong-un renewed his desire to achieve this objective by mentioning a horizon of “

five years to ten years

” for updating his navy. An unrealistic deadline without external help according to regime observers. But since then Pyongyang has moved significantly closer to

Russia to which it supplies arms and ammunition

. To obtain his nuclear-powered submarine, Kim Jong-un will need the support of Vladimir Putin, who must go

to North Korea “soon

”

Read alsoWashington accuses North Korea of having supplied missiles to Russia to strike Ukraine

North Korea: new cruise missile launches in the presence of Kim Jong-un

North Korea: new cruise missile launches in the presence of Kim Jong-un

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