North Korea releases images of development of nuclear-powered submarine

North Korea showed disconnected its evident advancement successful the improvement of a nuclear-powered submarine. State media released photos of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un and his daughter, a imaginable heir, arsenic they inspected what appears to beryllium a mostly completed hull.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea's authoritative authorities media, said Kim and his girl visited the shipyard to analyse the operation of what it describes arsenic an 8,700-ton-class nuclear-propelled submarine, The Associated Press reported. Pyongyang has signaled that it plans to limb the submarine with atomic weapons, the AP noted. Kim has said the improvement of the submarine is simply a important measurement toward the modernization and atomic armament of his country's navy.

The Christmas Day merchandise of the photos marks the archetypal clip North Korean authorities media has shown an update connected the nuclear-powered submarine since March. Earlier images mostly showed the little sections of the vessel, the AP noted. The KCNA did not accidental erstwhile the photos released connected Thursday were taken.

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In this undated photograph provided Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, by the North Korean government, its person Kim Jong Un inspects a nuclear-powered submarine nether operation astatine an undisclosed determination successful North Korea. Independent journalists were not fixed entree to screen the lawsuit depicted successful this representation distributed by the North Korean government. The contented of this representation is arsenic provided and cannot beryllium independently verified.  (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

Moon Keun-sik, a submarine adept astatine Seoul’s Hanyang University, told the AP that the photos of a mostly completed hull bespeak that galore of the halfway components are already successful place, arsenic submarines are typically built from the wrong out. However, it was not instantly wide precisely however overmuch advancement Pyongyang had made.

"Showing the full vas present seems to bespeak that astir of the instrumentality has already been installed and it is conscionable astir acceptable to beryllium launched into the water," Moon, who besides served arsenic a submarine serviceman successful the South Korean navy, told the AP. Moon added that North Korea's submarine could beryllium acceptable for investigating astatine oversea wrong months.

In this undated photograph provided Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, by the North Korean government, its person Kim Jong Un, 3rd left, visits a shipyard arsenic helium inspects a nuclear-powered submarine nether operation astatine an undisclosed determination successful North Korea. Independent journalists were not fixed entree to screen the lawsuit depicted successful this representation distributed by the North Korean government. The contented of this representation is arsenic provided and cannot beryllium independently verified. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

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While astatine the shipyard, Kim condemned South Korea's efforts to make its ain nuclear-powered submarine arsenic an "offensive act," contempt the information that President Donald Trump has backed Seoul's propulsion toward the technology. Kim said South Korea's efforts interruption North Korea's information and maritime sovereignty, according to the AP.

In October, during his circuit of Asia aimed astatine securing investments, Trump said that the U.S. would stock exertion with South Korea that would let it to physique a nuclear-powered submarine. The president posted connected Truth Social that the vas would beryllium built successful Philadelphia.

In this undated photograph provided Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, by the North Korean government, its person Kim Jong Un inspects a nuclear-powered submarine nether operation astatine an undisclosed determination successful North Korea. Independent journalists were not fixed entree to screen the lawsuit depicted successful this representation distributed by the North Korean government. The contented of this representation is arsenic provided and cannot beryllium independently verified.  (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

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"South Korea volition beryllium gathering its nuclear-powered submarine successful the Philadelphia shipyards, close present successful the bully ol’ U.S.A. Shipbuilding successful our state volition soon beryllium making a BIG COMEBACK," the president wrote.

The White House underscored the constituent erstwhile it released a information expanse successful November which straight referenced Washington and Seoul's efforts to "further our maritime and atomic partnership."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.