[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] North Korea's SLBM-Launching Submarine Is...

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The new short-range submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) fired by North Korea on the 7th is known to have been mounted on older submarines aimed at South Korea and Japan.

North Korea possesses about 20 Romeo-class (1800t), about 40 Sang-o-class (325t), and about 10 Yeon-o-class (130t) submarines. The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), a U.S. think tank, estimates that North Korea has between 64 and 86 submarines. Among these, only one 2000t Whale-class (Sinpo-class) submarine can carry SLBMs.

The Sinpo-class submarine has only one launch tube. This means that the SLBM can only be used as a preemptive strike weapon rather than a retaliatory means. It is also analyzed that North Korea applied the erratic maneuver technology, a core technology of the KN-23 (North Korean version of the Iskander missile), a short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile, to the short-range SLBM to enhance the surprise attack capability of a preemptive strike. Unlike general ballistic missiles that follow a parabolic trajectory, the KN-23 flies at a low altitude and then sharply rises and plunges at the target point. This missile performs various evasive maneuvers such as vertical and horizontal flight during the descent phase, making it difficult to intercept.

For this reason, North Korea is accelerating the development of a 3000t-class submarine that can be equipped with up to three launch tubes. It is known to have purchased and dismantled a decommissioned Golf-class submarine (3000t-class) from Russia in the 1990s. The Golf-class submarine can also carry three SLBMs. In 2019, U.S. commercial satellites observed large submarine construction parts stockpiled at the Sinpo shipyard in North Korea. In the same year, the exterior of the 3000t-class submarine was also revealed.

However, it appears that North Korea does not possess core technologies such as the Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) system. If North Korea had independently developed AIP, the underwater endurance period could be significantly extended. The existing Sinpo-class had the limitation of operating only for a few days in shallow waters.

Some speculate that North Korea is repeatedly hacking domestic defense companies to acquire core technologies. Last year, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, which designs and builds various naval surface ships and submarines, was hacked, resulting in the leakage of some data. Among the hacking attempt data were sensitive research materials on domestically produced nuclear-powered submarines (NPP).

This is not the first time Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering has been targeted by North Korea. In April 2016, over 40,000 internal documents were hacked. At that time, military authorities reported that about 60 of the leaked documents were military secrets classified as levels 1 to 3, including design plans and combat systems for Aegis destroyers and submarines.

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