SEOUL: North Korea fired at least one unidentified ballistic missile on Friday, South Korea’s military reported, in what appears to be a show of defiance just a week after U.S. President Donald Trump approved Seoul’s plan to build a nuclear-powered submarine.
“North Korea fired an unidentified ballistic missile towards the East Sea,” South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said, referring to the body of water also known as the Sea of Japan. Further details, including the missile’s range and trajectory, were not immediately disclosed.
According to AFP, the launch follows Washington’s recent decision to allow South Korea to develop a nuclear-powered submarine — a move seen as a major advancement in Seoul’s defence capabilities. Trump announced that the vessel would be built in the United States, where nuclear submarine technology is among the most sensitive and closely guarded military secrets.
Unlike diesel-powered submarines that must surface frequently to recharge batteries, nuclear-powered submarines can remain submerged for extended periods, offering strategic advantages in endurance and stealth. Analysts say the development would mark a significant leap in South Korea’s naval capabilities, placing it among a select group of nations — including the U.S., Australia, China, Russia, India, France, and Britain — with such advanced vessels.
South Korea’s presidential office noted that Washington’s approval was crucial, as the raw materials required for nuclear propulsion are tightly restricted for military use.
Since the collapse of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s 2019 summit with Trump over denuclearisation and sanctions relief, Pyongyang has intensified its weapons testing and declared itself an “irreversible” nuclear state, further escalating regional security tensions.
