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North Korea is constructing two new submarines, together with one able to firing ballistic missiles, a South Korean lawmaker mentioned on Tuesday, following a closed-door briefing by the South’s National Intelligence Service.
North Korea has a big submarine fleet however just one recognized experimental submarine able to carrying a ballistic missile.
“One of the submarines North Korea is building can carry a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM),” Ha Tae-keung, an opposition occasion lawmaker on parliament’s intelligence committee, advised Reuters. “One is a modified Romeo Class and the other is a new medium-large size one.”
North Korea has been topic to UN Security Council sanctions since 2006 over its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
North Korean chief Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump have met 3 times since 2018, however didn’t make progress on U.S. requires Pyongyang to surrender its nuclear weapons and North Korea’s calls for for an finish to sanctions.
In July 2019 state media confirmed Kim inspecting a big, newly constructed submarine. While North Korea didn’t describe the submarine’s weapons programs, analysts mentioned the obvious measurement of the vessel indicated it was designed to hold missiles.
Later that 12 months North Korea mentioned it had efficiently test-fired a brand new SLBM from the ocean, and final month it showcased a brand new SLBM design throughout a navy parade in Pyongyang.
Kim’s vow to unveil new strategic weapons this 12 months additionally led to hypothesis that North Korea may quickly deploy an operational ballistic missile submarine.
North Korea showcased a complete of 76 missiles in 9 differing types at a navy parade on Oct. 10, together with the nation’s long-range weapons for the primary time in two years, Yonhap information company reported, citing Ha.
After months of hypothesis over Kim’s well being, South Korea’s spies mentioned there have been no indicators that the younger chief was affected by well being issues, Yonhap reported.
The lawmaker additionally mentioned there was circumstantial proof indicating that Kim had ordered an investigation into the North Korean troops who shot useless a South Korean fisheries official who went lacking in late September, Yonhap reported.
North Korea final week mentioned the capturing of the South Korean man in its waters final month was a self-defensive measure amid issues concerning the coronavirus.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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