[News Today] N. Korea unveils nuclear-powered sub

[LEAD]
North Korea has revealed the full exterior of what it says is an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered submarine under construction.

During a visit to the site, leader Kim Jong-un also criticized South Korea's push for its own nuclear-powered submarine.

He called it a threat to North Korea's security and sovereignty that must be countered.

[REPORT]
North Korea unveiled a photo describing it as a scene of leader Kim Jong-un visiting the construction site of an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered submarine.

A sonar system, a key submarine component, is seen on the side and a horizontal tube for torpedo launches on the front.

There's also a protruding sail and behind it is a vertical tube for launching ballistic missiles.

Back in March, the regime publicized the construction of the submarine and disclosed a portion of its hull, but it's the first time the entire vessel is unveiled, revealing its full size.

It's believed the exterior of the sub is nearly complete and likely equipped with a small sized nuclear reactor as a power source.

Kim, who toured the site with his daughter Ju-ae, said that South Korea's pursuit of a nuclear-powered submarine is an aggressive act that violates North Korea's security and maritime sovereignty.

He denounced it as a threat that must be countered.

N. Korean Central TV /
The plan to develop a nuclear-powered sub under recent agreement with Washington at Seoul's request will worsen instability on the Korean Peninsula.

While South Korea's sub is set to be powered by nuclear fuel but armed only with conventional weapons, North Korea's model appears to be able to carry nuclear missiles.

Also, while the South needs to regularly replace its low enriched fuel, the North can stably secure theirs through its uranium enrichment facility.

Hong Min / Korea Institute for Nat'l Unification
It's become more likely that the North will use S. Korea's pursuit of a nuclear-powered sub to justify its own development of one.

However, as maneuvering a nuclear-powered submarine requires various sensor and radar technologies, experts say it is unclear when the North Korean vessel can actually be deployed.

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