Stressing there was “no room to step back,” he urged the swift transfer of “underwater and surface vessels equipped with tactical nuclear weapons” to the Navy.
The authoritarian leader boasted that the new vessel was capable of “both preemptive and retaliatory strike,” and experts told NK News it can likely carry nuclear submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and smaller missiles.
It “can carry a combination of SLBMs and cruise missiles, both equipped with nuclear warheads,” said Tal Inbar, an Israel-based missile researcher.
The submarine was unveiled as North Korea gears up to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the country’s founding on Saturday, which is expected to be marked with a military parade in Pyongyang, attended by a high-level Chinese delegation.
