North Korea accelerates nuclear navy, slams US-South Korea submarine deal an ‘offensive act’

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called a plan by South Korea to develop nuclear-powered submarines with the US an “offensive act” while inspecting his country’s first nearly completed nuclear-powered submarine,

Kim Jong Un made the remarks on Thursday during his inspection of an under-construction 8,700-ton nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine, insisting that the move by South Korea and the US “will worsen the instability in the region of the Korean Peninsula,” KCNA reported.

Separately, a spokesperson from North Korea’s Defense Ministry on Wednesday slammed the US after one of its nuclear-powered submarines arrived at a key naval base in South Korea a day earlier to restock supplies.

“The repeated emergence of the US strategic asset … constitutes a grave act of causing instability and escalating military tensions in the Korean Peninsula and the region,” the spokesperson said, according to KCNA.

The USS Greeneville, a Los Angeles-class attack submarine, arrived at the naval base in Busan, about 330 kilometers (205 miles) southeast of Seoul, South Korea’s navy said.

The North Korean head of state reportedly described his country’s move as an “urgent task and indispensable option to further accelerate the radical development of the modernization and nuclear weaponization of the naval force” of North Korea.

The South Korea–US project takes place while the two countries have repeatedly insisted on the denuclearization of the peninsula, with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung urging Beijing in October to play a “constructive role” in establishing peace and finding “a substantive solution to the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.”

North Korea threatens ‘offensive action’ as US aircraft carrier arrives in South Korea

North Korea threatens to take “offensive action” as the US and South Korea hold talks on expanding military cooperation.

Besides hailing the construction of the submarine as an “epoch-making crucial change,” the North Korean leader added that Seoul’s plan is “severely violating its security and maritime sovereignty and a threat to its security that must be countered.”

He further warned his foes will be “forced to pay a dear price when they violate the security of the DPRK’s strategic sovereignty” and will face a “merciless retaliatory attack if they try to select a military option.”

The North Korean project is exhibited amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula, with Pyongyang accusing the US, South Korea, and Japan of undermining its national security and destabilizing the region by attempting to create an “Asian version of NATO.”

On Wednesday, Kim observed the test-firing of a “new-type high-altitude long-range anti-air missile,” noting that the missile successfully hit a mock target at an altitude of 200 kilometers (124 miles).

Kim orders increase in missile production

The North Korean leader also visited key munitions industry enterprises and called for a broad expansion of production capacity to meet future operational needs of the country’s missile and artillery forces, state media reported.

According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Friday, Kim said it was necessary to “reinforce the technical foundations of the relevant production enterprises in a balanced way to further expand the overall production capacity,” KCNA reported.

During the visit, Kim outlined technical and economic tasks aimed at strengthening production capabilities, the agency said.

Describing the missile and shell production sector as crucial to bolstering the country’s war deterrent, Kim said the DPRK’s missile administration and the relevant general bureau of the Second Economy Commission should make thorough preparations to implement new modernization and production plans.

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