38North – South Korea and regional allies will need to up their submarine game to keep pace with the emerging threat of nuclear powered submarines in Pyongyang’s hands. The case has never been stronger for South Korea and Japan to adopt their own nuclear boats, and South Korea, in particular, has been trying to acquire the rights for .

Naval News – Only months after its commissioning on April 25, 2025, North Korea’s most advanced surface warship, the missile destroyer Choe Hyon (51), has reappeared featuring significant modifications to its weapon and sensor suites.

USNI News – Kim visited destroyer Choe Hyon’s (51) on Monday and was briefed by senior military leaders on the 5,000-ton destroyer’s various systems, a Tuesday report by state media Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. During the visit, Kim underlined the importance of completing ongoing trials and assessments of Choe Hyon by the scheduled deadlines in August and September to conduct the destroyer’s performance and operational capability assessment in October as planned. KCNA reported the North Korea leader expressed satisfaction that the major tasks for modernizing and arming the destroyer with nuclear weapons is progressing on a stage-by-stage basis as planned. Kim was briefed on the composition of the destroyer’s integrated operations system.

Guardian – Blue tarpaulins cover the partly ‘crushed’ 5,000-ton destroyer as it lies on its side at the northeastern shipyard of Chongjin

Naval News – New destroyer becomes by far the largest surface combatant in North Korean fleet. However, while a second hull appears to be under construction, most technical details and specifications remain highly speculative.

The War Zone – North Korea just unveiled its new air warfare frigate and the ship has a whopping 74 vertical launch cells, some of which could launch cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as SAMs.

The War Zone – North Korea’s new warship design has emerged and it appears to be the largest the country has yet constructed. The vessel, which looks to be around the size of a typical modern frigate, or at the least a very large corvette, also appears to be designed to accommodate a vertical launch system (VLS) for missiles and a phased-array radar — two advanced items not previously seen on a North Korean design.

The War Zone – North Korea appears to have started building a new submarine, which may feature nuclear propulsion, according to a South Korean official. The development would be in line with previous reports and follows the launch, last September, of a reworked Cold War-era Romeo class diesel-electric submarine designed to carry ballistic missiles.

USNI News – North Korea carried out a test of its Haeil-5-23 underwater nuclear weapon system in the Sea of Japan in response to trilateral naval drills conducted by the U.S., Japan and South Korea in the East China Sea.

Covert Shores – A major question is whether ‘Hero Kim Gun-ok’ is the same submarine which was showing in 2019 when Kim Jong Un visited Sinpo. That boat, known in the West as Sinpo-C, was undergoing conversion to carry missiles. The temptation is to say that it is probably the same submarine. However, a comparison if the available imagery identifies significant and numerous differences. 

(Thanks to Alain)

Naval News – North Korea has revealed it’s latest submarine, a “tactical nuclear attack submarine”. The new submarine has been named “Hero Kim Gun-ok” and given the hull number 841. Our analysis indicates that it will be armed with ten missiles.

War Zone – North Korea’s state-run media has released new photos of the country’s most modern surface combatant, known in the West as the Amnok class corvette, which is also the largest operated by the Korean People’s Navy. Of particular interest is that the warship is armed with cruise missiles, which can likely be fitted with nuclear warheads, adding yet another platform to North Korea’s diverse and growing strategic arsenal.

War Zone – new underwater drone, widely presumed to function much like a nuclear-armed torpedo, was revealed at North Korea’s latest military parade, in the capital Pyongyang yesterday. While new unmanned aerial vehicles were also among the highlights of the parade, the underwater drone suggests that North Korea is continuing to look at novel means of delivering nuclear warheads as it expands its strategic weapons ambitions.

Naval News – ‘Haeil-1’ is a possible derivative of the Haeil UUV that was revealed less than a week ago. Additionally, the state media also released photos of ‘Hwasan-31’ (meaning Volcano in English) tactical nuclear warhead, citing that those can be loaded on the “suicide drones”.

Defense News – North Korea claimed Friday to have tested a nuclear-capable underwater drone designed to generate a gigantic “radioactive tsunami” that would destroy naval strike groups and ports. Analysts were skeptical that the device presents a major new threat, but the test underlines the North’s commitment to raising nuclear threats.

Naval News – North Korea’s state media KCNA released photos of a new suicide AUV Autonomous Underwater Vehicle named 해일 (Haeil: meaning Tsunami in English) taken during an exercise that took place between March 21st through 23rd, suggesting that their new suicide drones are capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

BBC – North Korea has successfully tested a new submarine-launched ballistic missile, state media say, confirming earlier reports by South Korea.

War Zone – Right on cue, after declaring the United States its biggest threat and announcing it was preparing for a new round of weapons tests, North Korea presented several examples of an apparently new submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) during a parade in its capital, Pyongyang.

USNI News – Evidence is emerging that the North Korean regime is training dolphins for military purposes, according to new satellite imagery.

War Zone – A giant new intercontinental ballistic missile was just one of the many revelations from the remarkably well-produced showcase of authoritarian might.

Naval News – The World’s only operational conventionally powered ballistic missile submarine (SSB) may soon emerge in North Korea. The Romeo-Mod submarine, also known as Sinpo-C, was first revealed on North Korean TV on July 23 2019. It will likely be armed with three Pukguksong-3 missiles which are the hermit kingdom’s best performing. So it will, on paper, pose a serious threat to U.S. and allied targets in the region. But how real is the threat?

– BBC – North Korea has confirmed it test-fired a new type of a ballistic missile, a significant escalation from the short-range tests it has conducted since May.

– BBC – North Korea may have fired a ballistic missile from a submarine, a move that came just hours after Pyongyang said it would resume nuclear talks with the US.

– War Zone – The boat is based on a dated 1950s Soviet design, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a significant development.

– National Interest – Does North Korea have an anti-ship ballistic missile capability?