[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] Eye-Catching North Korean New Weapons at the Military Parade

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] North Korea has attracted attention by unveiling a new upgraded version of its submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), the Pukguksong-5. It appears to have an increased warhead weight compared to the 'Pukguksong-4ㅅ' (Siot) revealed at the Workers' Party 75th anniversary parade last October.

Korean Central Broadcasting reported on the 15th, "The parade commemorating the 8th Party Congress was grandly held on the evening of the 14th at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang," adding, "Comrade Kim Jong-un attended the parade."

Two strategic and tactical weapons stood out at the parade: the new tactical missile KN-23, widely known as the 'North Korean version of Iskander,' and the SLBM. The KN-23 missile appears to have an extended overall length to increase its range. If its range has been extended beyond 600 km, it would put the entire South Korean territory and some US military bases in Japan within its reach.

However, whether the KN-23 missile is equipped with a nuclear warhead remains uncertain. Although North Korea has conducted six nuclear tests and is believed to have miniaturized nuclear warheads, it seems they have not yet succeeded in miniaturizing them enough to fit on the KN-23 missile. To equip the KN-23 with a nuclear warhead, the warhead weight must be reduced to 500?600 kg and the diameter to about 92 cm.

If North Korea deploys KN-23 missiles equipped with nuclear warheads in the future, the air defense systems of South Korea and the US could face serious challenges. If a mix of nuclear-armed KN-23s and conventionally armed KN-23s are launched, it would be difficult for the Patriot PAC-3 missile and THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) systems to intercept them effectively.

Additionally, North Korea showcased an SLBM clearly marked as ‘Pukguksong-5 ㅅ’ at this parade. This indicates an upgraded version of the previously revealed ‘Pukguksong-4ㅅ.’ In August 2016, North Korea test-fired the Pukguksong-1 (estimated range 1300 km) from a Sinpo-class submarine, and in October 2019, it tested the Pukguksong-3 (estimated range 2000 km) from an underwater launch platform.

The newly revealed ‘Pukguksong-5ㅅ’ has a longer warhead length than the ’Pukguksong-4ㅅ’ unveiled last year, suggesting a move toward multiple warheads. If deployed on nuclear submarines and put into operational use, it is expected to be a ‘game changer’ that could fundamentally alter the security environment on the Korean Peninsula.

Shin Jong-woo, Secretary General of the Korea Defense and Security Forum, said, “The Pukguksong-5 has the same body length as before, but the warhead is longer,” adding, “It seems they have diversified the types of warheads mounted on the new submarine.”

Meanwhile, this is the first time North Korea has held a parade to commemorate a Party Congress. The ‘night parade’ is also only the second, following the Workers' Party 75th anniversary parade last October, making it unusual to hold another parade within just three months.

At the 8th Party Congress, North Korea emphasized strengthening its military power by including it in the Party Charter and publicly revealing plans for nuclear submarines and hypersonic weapons development in the Central Committee’s work report, highlighting a focus on military enhancement.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.