North Korea has characterized South Korea's efforts to acquire nuclear-powered submarines and related actions by the United States and Japan as threats to regional strategic balance, emphasizing its commitment to strengthening naval power. This statement follows a day after Kim Jong-un inspected the construction site of a naval base on the East Coast.
According to the Korean Central News Agency, Kim Jong-sik, the first deputy director of the Workers' Party of Korea's Military Industry Department, stated on November 12 that "the visible enhancement of enemy naval forces and the resulting security threats are a very serious challenge."
Kim asserted, "We will not stop at merely condemning this; we will deter all threats through action and by demonstrating our changed capabilities."
He specifically mentioned the U.S. Navy's deployment of nuclear submarines to Australia, South Korea's promotion of the 'Jangbogo-N' project, and Japan's discussions on acquiring nuclear submarines. He claimed that the naval power enhancement by the U.S. and its allies is aggressive and confrontational in nature.
The Jangbogo-N project aims to develop South Korea's own nuclear-powered submarines through domestic research and development. The South Korean government recently approved the basic strategy for this project during a defense project promotion committee meeting.
Kim also criticized the U.S. for attempting to dominate the Asia-Pacific region based on its nuclear superiority at sea and underwater. He argued that the sharing of nuclear technology among the U.S. and its allies is triggering an arms race in the region.
He added that these developments necessitate diversifying North Korea's response capabilities to defend its maritime sovereignty and pledged to continue strengthening its military power. He described North Korea's military enhancement as a normal activity aimed at safeguarding national security and regional peace.
This statement is seen as an attempt by North Korea to justify its plans for constructing large warships, developing underwater weapons, and expanding its naval bases.
Currently, North Korea is pursuing the construction of new warships weighing 10,000 tons and has recently conducted tests of new torpedoes incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) and guidance technology. The day before, Kim Jong-un visited the naval base construction site and instructed the modernization, multifunctionalization, and fortification of the base, emphasizing its completion within the designated timeframe.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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