Reports indicate Russia may have provided North Korea with two to three nuclear propulsion systems from decommissioned submarines, including reactors and cooling systems, as payment for troop deployment.
On Thursday, 38 North, a U.S.-based North Korea watchdog, reported that Russia likely supplied North Korea with nuclear propulsion systems from Akula-class (Project 971 Shuka-B) submarines. The Project 971 Shuka-B submarines, developed in the late 1970s, include the original model commissioned in 1984 and an upgraded version from the 1990s. While six were initially operational, most have been decommissioned due to age.
Russia is decommissioning older nuclear submarines at the Zvezda shipyard near Vladivostok. Satellite imagery reportedly captured a Project 971 Shuka-B nuclear submarine, previously leased to India until summer 2021, with its hull open in the reactor area. India had leased a Russian nuclear submarine for a decade starting in 2010.
The Project 971 Shuka-B nuclear submarine, with a maximum displacement of about 13,000 tons, is powered by an OK-650 reactor driving two 42,000-horsepower steam turbines. Experts estimate that North Korea’s nuclear-powered submarine, partially revealed in March at the Sinpo shipyard in South Hamgyong Province, may have a similar displacement of around 10,000 tons. This has fueled speculation about the potential transfer of Project 971 Shuka-B’s nuclear propulsion system to North Korea.
It’s likely that Russia has also transferred broader submarine construction technology to North Korea. In the 1990s, Russia provided North Korea with several aging submarines, including Golf-class vessels.
Leveraging this technology, North Korea developed the Sinpo-class (2,000-ton) submarine for submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) launches in 2014 and has modified and upgraded the Romeo-class (1,800-ton) submarine acquired from Russia in 2023. The Romeo-class submarine’s hull diameter is reportedly less than half the length of the latest missiles.
38 North stated that if Russia has indeed supplied reactors and components to North Korea, it could accelerate Pyongyang’s indigenous submarine design and deployment process. They added that Russia may also have provided noise-reduction technologies, making detection more challenging. This theoretically means North Korean nuclear submarines could potentially be deployed in the North Pacific, posing a threat to the U.S. mainland.
38 North emphasized that regional allies, including South Korea, must prioritize submarine construction to counter the threat of North Korea’s nuclear submarines. They noted that South Korea and Japan’s resolve to acquire their own nuclear submarines is stronger than ever, with South Korea making significant strides towards this goal.