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The revamped Soviet-era sub is North Koreas firs ballistic missile submarine.
The revamped Soviet-era sub is North Korea’s first ballistic missile submarine.
What is happening?
Despite a high-profile unveiling in front of Kim Jong-un in 2023, satellite imagery reveals North Korea’s first ballistic missile submarine is still not operational.
The vessel remains docked under heavy cover, raising questions about Pyongyang’s much-publicized nuclear ambitions.
The Hero Kim Kun Ok—A Soviet Throwback
The submarine, dubbed Hero Kim Kun Ok, is a revamped version of the Cold War-era Soviet Romeo-class design.
Originally developed in the 1950s and ’60s, the diesel-electric model has undergone significant North Korean modifications to suit modern military goals.
A Submarine Going Nowhere
Photos from May 2025 show the sub still parked at Sinpo South Shipyard, cloaked under a security canopy.
There are no visible signs it has been out to sea or prepped for deployment in the near future.
Analysis Confirms: No Extended Deployment Yet
Reports from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and Beyond Parallel suggest the Hero Kim Kun Ok hasn’t left port for any meaningful mission since its ceremonial launch in September 2023.
Kim Jong-un’s Bold Claims Now Under Scrutiny
At the time of its unveiling, Kim Jong-un hailed the submarine as a “standard type of tactical nuclear submarine” and a crucial leg of North Korea’s emerging nuclear triad.
That rhetoric now appears increasingly hollow.
Embarrassment on the High Seas
This isn’t the only recent naval letdown for North Korea.
In May, a major warship launch turned into a fiasco when the vessel capsized in front of Kim Jong-un.
The 5,000-tonne destroyer had to be salvaged from the water weeks later.
Long Stay in Dry Dock Raises Eyebrows
Following its debut, the sub was shifted to a graving dock at the Sinpo Shipyard for nearly a year of further modifications.
Despite work being carried out in 2024, no progress toward operational status has been confirmed.
Hidden from View—But Not From Satellites
By late 2024, the submarine was moved under a secure canopy in the boat basin at Sinpo. Satellite images taken in April and May 2025 show the vessel still covered, suggesting it’s more for show than for service.
Looking at Google Maps today, you can spot two submarines side by side in a dry dock in the East of Sinpo. It is unclear if one of them is the submarine in question
Nuclear Arsenal Grows, But Delivery Systems Lag
Though the Arms Control Association estimates North Korea now has around 50 nuclear warheads, its delivery systems—especially sea-based ones—appear unreliable or incomplete.
