00:00North Korea just made a nuclear move that could shake the balance in East Asia.
00:04On December 25, it announced the construction of an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered submarine,
00:10capable of launching nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles while staying hidden underwater for months.
00:16Unlike South Korea's future subs, which will only use nuclear fuel for propulsion,
00:20North Korea's vessel might run on weapons-grade uranium.
00:24And that changes everything.
00:26Why?
00:27Because it means no refueling for decades and a new way to launch nuclear strikes from stealth.
00:32Experts say this sub might carry up to 10 SLBMs, long-range missiles that could reach the U.S. mainland from the Pacific.
00:39And while South Korea's first nuclear-powered sub won't arrive until the mid-2030s,
00:44North Korea's might hit the water much sooner.
00:47Some analysts even suspect Russian tech may have helped speed up its progress.
00:51If true, this gives Pyongyang a deadly second-strike capability,
00:55making it harder to stop in a real conflict.
00:58And South Korea?
01:00For now, it's staying silent.
01:02The way they're going through the sea with me.
01:03It's staying silent.
01:04We'll be in a minute.
01:05I want to wait to see you for a few minutes.
01:07And I'm glad to hear you.
Comments