[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] Why Is North Korea Missing from the SLBM Developing Countries?

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] South Korea has become the seventh country in the world to possess submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) after successfully conducting a submarine launch test of its domestically developed SLBM. However, North Korea is not included among the developing countries, and it is known that North Korea's development has not yet reached the operational deployment stage.

Currently, SLBMs are operated by only six countries: the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France, and India. Our military equipped the Dosan Ahn Changho-class submarine (3,000 tons), delivered to the Navy on August 13, with SLBMs.

North Korea has also revealed its SLBMs. Following successful underwater test launches of the Pukguksong-1 in 2015 and the Pukguksong-3 in 2019, North Korea showcased new SLBMs such as the Pukguksong-4ㅅ in October last year and the Pukguksong-5ㅅ in January during military parades.

However, the underwater test launches in 2015 and 2019 were conducted from structures like barges, and actual submarine launch tests have reportedly not yet been carried out. It is known that North Korea has nearly completed the construction of a new submarine (3,200 tons) capable of carrying the Pukguksong-3 by modifying a Romeo-class (1,800 tons) submarine and is preparing for its launching.

Meanwhile, our military plans to build the second vessel of the 3,600-ton Jangbogo-III Batch-II class, equipped with 10 vertical SLBM launch tubes.