DPRK launches 1st tactical nuclear attack submarine

SEOUL, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) launched its first tactical nuclear attack submarine on Wednesday, ahead of the country's 75th founding anniversary, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday.

Under the order of the Central Military Commission of the country's ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), the No. 841 submarine, the first of its kind, was transferred to a submarine squadron affiliated with the East Sea Fleet of the Korean People's Army Navy and was named "Hero Kim Kun Ok," said the report.

Kim Kun Ok is highly respected as a hero commanding officer of the first generation of the country's naval force, it said.

The newly-built submarine would perform its combat mission as "one of the core underwater offensive means" of the DPRK naval force, said Kim Jong Un, the WPK's general secretary and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, at the launching ceremony held on Wednesday.

A day after the launching ceremony, the DPRK's top leader boarded the submarine and learned about its weapon system and underwater operation capability during an inspection, the KCNA said.

Kim asked to speed up the transfer of surface and underwater vessels equipped with tactical nuclear weapons to the navy, it added.