What Is Hero Kim Gun-Ok?

North Korea has likely begun rebuilding its submarines into more lethal weapons, an analyst has said. North Korea launched its first modernized submarine, the Hero Kim Gun-Ok, on September 8, 2023, with ten missiles in vertical launch tubes, likely four ballistic and six cruise, according to open-source analyst H.I. Sutton writing in his publication Covert Shores.

The development comes as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has sent ominous warnings to the U.S. and South Korea as tensions have escalated on the Korean Peninsula. It reflects North Korea’s continued focus on expanding and diversifying its military capabilities, indicating a strategic emphasis on enhancing its naval strike capacity.

NK News, a specialist publication focusing on North Korea, reported last year that North Korea launched its Hero Kim Gun-Ok submarine on September 6, 2023.

This submarine represents an upgrade in North Korea’s maritime strategic arsenal, equipped with a total of ten missiles housed in vertical launch tubes, according to Sutton’s analysis. The armament likely comprises four ballistic and six cruise missiles, nestled under a distinctive turtle-back structure extending beyond the sail, marking a notable advancement in the country’s military technology.

The missiles aboard the Hero Kim Gun-Ok are modern and considered generally reliable, with the potential capability to carry nuclear warheads. This development underscores North Korea’s ongoing efforts to bolster its offensive capabilities, posing a strategic threat primarily aimed at South Korean or Japanese cities and key military bases, according to Sutton.

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