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developing solid fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles.
While it has not demonstrated re-entry capability, its goal
is to neutralize U.S. extended deterrence by securing the
ability to strike the U.S. mainland. Other major strategic
tasks included the development of “nuclear submarines” and
underwater nuclear strategic weapons. The “Hero Kim Kun
OK” submarine was launched at the Sinpo South Shipyard,
demonstrating its capacity to launch SLBMs (submarine-
launched ballistic missiles) with nuclear warheads. Moreover,
the “Haeil”-1 and -2 nuclear unmanned underwater attack
vehicles (UUAVs) were unveiled, showcasing their ability to
navigate underwater for up to 71 hours.

• Strategic reconnaissance capabilities: In July 2023, North
Korea revealed its latest drones, Saetbyol-4 and -9, which
are replicas of U.S. unmanned attack aircraft but are
significantly inferior in functionality. The more concerning
threats are the “Chollima-1” space launch vehicle and the
“Malligyong-1” reconnaissance satellite. After three launch
attempts, a successful launch experiment demonstrated that
the “Malligyong-1” was functioning normally and capable
of taking satellite photos of the United States and South
Korea. Although the satellite’s resolution is 3-5 meters,
insufficient for military intelligence, it can provide minimal
independent targeting capabilities required for nuclear
strikes.

The mainstream view on the motivation behind North Korea’s
nuclear development is security purposes against threats from
South Korea and the United States. However, the argument
that it was strategic judgment driven by concern about being

Chapter Two : North Korea’s Nuclear Threat and China’s Backing for North Korea 33