A U.S. Military Satellite spotted a strange new facility that near the shipyards of Shinpo, in the province of Ham-Gyeongdo in North Korea. The U.S. military estimated that the facility looked like a small launch pad that could potentially be used to test-fire smaller sized ballistic missiles. Many experts have brought up the possibility that North Korea is currently developing a new class of submarine with SLBM (Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile) capabilities.
MBC reported that the U.S. had already sent official warnings to the North Korean government to cease the development of such weapons of mass destruction. Analysts explained that the North Korean navy had imported a number of Russian "Golf" class submarines which are now decommissioned and no longer in use. The U.S. satellite had also spotted a new submarine that was about 67 meters in the port of Shinpo.
In order for a submarine to mount a launch pad that could launch long-range missiles from under the surface, the vessel itself must be at least 3,000 tons. Many experts believe that North Korea is using the Russian "Golf" class submarine as a model to construct their own version. MBC also reported that the same experts believe that North Korea has already succeeded in miniaturizing their nuclear weapons.
In the case that North Korea acquires this technology, then they would be able to stealthily transport their nuclear warheads and launch them at literally any target. With these new submarines, they would be able to fire their ICBMs at targets as far as Alaska. Right now, the KPA (Korean Peoples' Army) is believed to possess at least 500 missiles that could hit any part of South Korea, and at least 200 missiles that could target any part of Japan.
Some experts however, are more skeptical. They explained that it is still uncertain whether North Korea had succeeded in miniaturizing the nuclear warheads, and many still doubt whether they have the necessary technology to mount a vertical launcher in a vessel. Most of North Korea's naval vessels, according to Korea's Channel A, do not even have conventional sonar capabilities, and most of their submarines are mini-subs that could only fire two to three torpedoes.
North Korea's navy, though unconventional in many ways was always a source of fear for the South Koreans because of the sheer amount of submarines they have. It is believed that North Korea possesses the world's largest submarine fleet with 200 vessels in total. Though the Republic of Korea Navy, considered the 10th most powerful navy in the world which is composed of mostly destroyers with anti-submarine capabilities, they are vastly outnumbered. South Korea also only possesses 12 submarines of their own. Though these are state-of-the-art diesel subs with ballistic missile capabilities, many military experts have expressed some serious doubt as to how well they will overcome North Korea's vast numbers.
Meanwhile, MBC and Yonhap reported that North Korea's Kim Jong Un, the 1st Secretary of the Labor Party was witnessed to be overseeing the construction of their new line of nuclear missiles submarines. It appears acquiring these weapons of mass destruction are a priority for the isolated totalitarian state in the world.
