Anchor: North Korea says it has launched a tactical nuclear attack submarine for the first time, drawing attention to the regime's capability of conducting an underwater nuclear attack. Speaking at a launch ceremony, regime leader Kim Jong-un announced plans to modify additional existing submarines to be equipped with tactical nuclear weapons and to develop nuclear-powered vessels.
Choi You Sun reports.

Report: North Korea announced on Friday that it has launched its first operational tactical nuclear attack submarine, capable of carrying out an underwater nuclear attack. 

According to the North's state media, the launching ceremony for Submarine Number 841, named "Hero Kim Kun-ok" after a North Korean war hero during the Korean War, was held at Sinpo shipyard in South Hamgyong Province on Wednesday.

[Sound bite: Korean Central TV (Sep. 8)]

Based on images provided by the Korean Central News Agency(KCNA), the submarine has six small-sized and four large-sized launch tubes for submarine-launched ballistic missiles(SLBM).

According to KCNA, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended the ceremony and delivered a speech, pledging to push forward with the nuclear weaponisation of the navy.

Kim called for accelerating a project to deploy underwater and surface vessels equipped with tactical nuclear weapons to the regime's naval forces.

He also announced plans to modify additional medium-sized submarines to attack submarines equipped with tactical nuclear weapons, and to even develop a nuclear-powered submarine.

An official from South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff(JCS) said on Friday that the military has been tracking activity related to the North's submarine launch using Seoul and Washington's combined surveillance assets.

The official said although the North appears to have enlarged parts of the submarine's exterior, including the bridge for missile loading, it is not deemed ready for operational use. He added that it is likely the regime only unveiled the parts that do function normally.

The South Korean Unification ministry on Friday, slammed North Korea following its announcement , saying it’s squandering its scarce resources while paying no heed to the livelihood of its people.
Choi You Sun, KBS World Radio News.