Kim Jong Un Warns South Korea's Submarine Plan 'Worsens Instability' Amid Unveiling of 8,700-Ton Nuclear Sub

An underwater arms race on the Korean Peninsula is escalating. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has warned that South Korea's plans to build nuclear-powered submarines will worsen regional instability, a statement made while inspecting his own nation's new nuclear submarine under construction.

According to a December 25 report from the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim made the remarks during an on-site inspection of an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine. He framed Seoul's move as an "offensive act severely violating" the DPRK's security and maritime sovereignty, calling it "a threat that must be countered."

Accelerating a Naval Buildup

The inspection serves as a clear declaration of North Korea's naval ambitions. Kim affirmed his strategic policy to "steadily push forward with the nuclear weaponization of the navy." He claimed that the new destroyers and nuclear submarines will "make a leap forward in bolstering up the combat capabilities of our fleets."

He also vowed to increase the speed and scale of building various warships and equip them with different offensive weapon systems. The KCNA added that Kim reviewed research on new underwater weapons and unveiled a strategic plan for reorganizing the naval forces.

The Doctrine of Deterrence

Kim described the new nuclear submarine as an "epoch-making crucial change" in the country's war deterrent level, stating its purpose is to permanently ensure a peaceful environment and absolute security. "It is needed to make the enemy understand with no doubt that they will be surely forced to pay a dear price when they violate the security of the DPRK's strategic sovereignty," he said, warning of a "merciless retaliatory attack" if a military option is selected against his country.