North Korea finalizes launch of new submarine capable of launching ballistic missiles at sea

South Korean and US intelligence agencies consider Kim Jong-un’s regime to be ready to deploy a new 3000 ton submarine prepared for the ballistic missile launch and is waiting “the right time” to take to sea, according to sources at the official South Korean Yonhap agency.

Additionally, sources warn that North Korea started moving barge using missile tests, indicating possible launch of submarine ballistic missile.

The submarine was first unveiled in July 2019 and it would be a variant of the Russian Project 633 submarine from the 1950s, known to NATO as the Romeo class.

North Korea has operated as many as twenty of these submarines, and most are built locally with Chinese help, according to Forbes.

The time of its official presentation remains to be seen, according to sources, who They do not exclude that this event is public, like the presentation at the time of the Pukguksong-3 missile.

Sources corroborate information published by the North American website 38 North, which specializes in monitoring North Korea, which last month reported the move of a dry dock at the Sinpo shipyard in the east of the country.

The transfer would indicate that construction of the new North ballistic missile submarine “may be nearing completion” or that the ship “is ready for launch and deployment in the near future,” according to intelligence sources quoted by the agency.

The last time North Korea tested a submersible was in October 2019, when it used a floating platform to fire a new version of its Pukguksong submarine shells for the first time (“Pole Star “).

Submarines capable of launching ballistic missiles are strategic assets of paramount importance, especially if they carry nuclear warheads, as they allow the range of these weapons to extend to almost the entire planet across the seas.. Additionally, despite technological advancements, submarines remain essentially undetectable when underwater.

Disarmament talks between Pyonyang and Washington have been frozen since the failure of the Hanoi summit in February 2019 and since then the North Korean regime has carried out several weapons tests despite having avoided firing missiles within range. intercontinental or to carry out new nuclear tests.

President Joe Biden on Thursday warned North Korea that the United States would “react accordingly” if it stepped up military testing, after Pyongyang fired two missiles in its first major provocation since taking office. Pyongyang has a long history of testing weapons to increase tension, in a carefully calibrated process to try and advance its goals.

Biden’s response demonstrates a change of tone from his predecessor, Donald Trump, who maintained an unusual diplomatic closeness to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and who repeatedly downplayed similar launches last year at close range.

(With information from Europa Press)

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