North Korea warns of 'nuclear dominoes' in Asia if South acquires nuclear submarines

North Korea has issued a stern warning against South Korea's pursuit of nuclear-powered submarines, labeling it a significant security threat that demands a resolute response. Jang Kum-chol, the first vice minister of North Korea's Foreign Ministry, stated that Seoul's move would inevitably lead to a cascade of nuclear proliferation across the Asia-Pacific region.

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The ROK’s possession of nuclear submarine[s] will inevitably result in nuclear dominoes in the Asia-Pacific region.

Jang argued that possessing the capability for an unsurvivable retaliatory strike is the most responsible way to deter war. He cited North Korea's own development of nuclear weapons as a strategic imperative for defending its maritime sovereignty amid escalating regional instability. The diplomat also pointed to South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's justification for the submarine plan, which Lee presented as a commitment to peace and security on the Korean peninsula.

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The new reality of amplifying regional instability reminds us why it is the first national strategic affair to possess the most perfect and complex operational combat strength capable of reliably defending the maritime sovereignty of the state.

North Korea's Foreign Ministry asserted that Seoul has been secretly pursuing nuclear submarines since 2003, suggesting the ambition goes beyond a mere response to Pyongyang's nuclear capabilities or a defensive measure against regional threats. Furthermore, Jang criticized South Korea's efforts to revise its nuclear cooperation agreement with the United States, known as the 123 Agreement, to allow for uranium enrichment and reprocessing. He suggested this move signals Seoul's ultimate goal of achieving nuclear armament.

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The ROK has secretly pushed ahead with its plan for building a nuclear submarine since 2003. Such [a] fact goes to prove that the ROK’s ambition to possess nuclear submarine[s] is neither a ‘reflective measure’ to respond to the DPRK’s possession of nuclear weapons nor a matter of defensive nature to cope with the ‘regional threat.’

Japan also drew criticism, with North Korea accusing it of abandoning its

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It is the final goal of the ROK to secure the right to produce nuclear materials, free from the restraint of the [prohibition] on reprocessing nuclear waste fuel and [. . .] uranium enrichment, and ultimately pave the way for making a leap forward to nuclear armament.