North Korea Flexes Power With New Missiles, Nuclear Sub Claims—U.S. on Notice

Paul Riverbank, 12/29/2025North Korea showcases its military prowess with recent cruise missile tests and claims of a nuclear-powered submarine, prompting heightened tensions in East Asia. As weapons tests ramp up, the regime uses these displays both for self-defense rhetoric and as political leverage, intensifying scrutiny from the U.S. and allies.

This particular launch arrives hard on the heels of another intriguing development: North Korea claims it’s made headway with its first nuclear-powered submarine. There were pictures distributed by the state press, grainy in quality and short on context, showing what appeared to be the skeleton of a new submarine. Pyongyang insists this vessel will be able to carry nuclear-armed missiles. It’s a huge claim, though independent analysts are quick to note that verifying such pronouncements is all but impossible.

As far as justification goes, Kim leaned heavily on rhetoric about “the right to self-defence”—a staple in North Korean public statements. He called these new missile launches a responsible show of power, necessary for deterrence. Of course, the international community takes a less charitable view.

It’s worth noting, however, that the cruise missiles North Korea is testing don’t technically violate United Nations Security Council restrictions. Ballistic missiles are another matter entirely, but cruise missiles—those stealthy, terrain-hugging projectiles—occupy a gray zone. And despite being less headline-grabbing than ICBMs, cruise missiles are far from benign; they’re much harder to spot, relentlessly flying low and capable of unpredictable maneuvers. U.S. and South Korean officials, it seems, aren’t taking any chances. According to Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, military readiness remains on high alert.

If there’s a pattern here, it’s that weapons tests have only accelerated since talks between Kim and former President Donald Trump unraveled in 2019. Far from slowing down, Pyongyang has gone into overdrive, displaying new types of missiles and now, if its own media are to be believed, stepping up its naval ambitions. Just last week, North Korea fired anti-air missiles along its east coast. Every move seems calculated—a performance aimed at a global audience.

There are two undercurrents observers keep flagging. The first: mounting cooperation between North Korea and Russia. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Pyongyang seems to be drawing closer to Moscow, lending material support in exchange for a rumored boost in military technology. It’s a worrying symmetry. The other trend is Kim’s recurring tactic of using weapons tests as political leverage. By incrementally expanding North Korea’s military toolkit, Kim establishes bargaining chips for any future negotiations, all while demanding Washington retire “delusional obsessions with denuclearisation.” It’s a phrase that’s appeared more than once in recent North Korean statements.

Still, it helps to approach all this with healthy skepticism. State-run images and announcements are notoriously difficult to verify. The blurriness of North Korea’s claims is matched only by the opacity of its leadership. Yet, it’s hard to ignore the cumulative impact of these provocations—each missile, each submarine announcement ratchets up tension just a bit more, keeping militaries on both sides of the 38th parallel on edge.

Ultimately, the message is directed as much at outsiders as at North Korea’s own citizens: Pyongyang is not backing down. The wider world, especially the U.S. and its regional partners, remains caught in this carefully staged drama, forced to respond to every new test, however ambiguous the reality may be.

From a distance, these launches might seem like routine bluster, but for those responsible for regional security, they’re potent reminders that the Korean Peninsula remains one of the world’s most unpredictable flashpoints. Each headline is a piece of a much larger puzzle, and for now, the picture is anything but reassuring.

It’s another weekend in East Asia, and once again, North Korea has thrown a curveball. Somewhere along its coastline, another barrage of cruise missiles arced out toward the sea, all under the watchful gaze of Kim Jong Un. North Korean state TV predictably cut to Kim, beaming, looking pleased as punch—a scene we’ve come to expect every time the regime shows off a new weapon.This particular launch arrives hard on the heels of another intriguing development: North Korea claims it’s made headway with its first nuclear-powered submarine. There were pictures distributed by the state press, grainy in quality and short on context, showing what appeared to be the skeleton of a new submarine. Pyongyang insists this vessel will be able to carry nuclear-armed missiles. It’s a huge claim, though independent analysts are quick to note that verifying such pronouncements is all but impossible.As far as justification goes, Kim leaned heavily on rhetoric about “the right to self-defence”—a staple in North Korean public statements. He called these new missile launches a responsible show of power, necessary for deterrence. Of course, the international community takes a less charitable view.It’s worth noting, however, that the cruise missiles North Korea is testing don’t technically violate United Nations Security Council restrictions. Ballistic missiles are another matter entirely, but cruise missiles—those stealthy, terrain-hugging projectiles—occupy a gray zone. And despite being less headline-grabbing than ICBMs, cruise missiles are far from benign; they’re much harder to spot, relentlessly flying low and capable of unpredictable maneuvers. U.S. and South Korean officials, it seems, aren’t taking any chances. According to Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, military readiness remains on high alert.If there’s a pattern here, it’s that weapons tests have only accelerated since talks between Kim and former President Donald Trump unraveled in 2019. Far from slowing down, Pyongyang has gone into overdrive, displaying new types of missiles and now, if its own media are to be believed, stepping up its naval ambitions. Just last week, North Korea fired anti-air missiles along its east coast. Every move seems calculated—a performance aimed at a global audience.There are two undercurrents observers keep flagging. The first: mounting cooperation between North Korea and Russia. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Pyongyang seems to be drawing closer to Moscow, lending material support in exchange for a rumored boost in military technology. It’s a worrying symmetry. The other trend is Kim’s recurring tactic of using weapons tests as political leverage. By incrementally expanding North Korea’s military toolkit, Kim establishes bargaining chips for any future negotiations, all while demanding Washington retire “delusional obsessions with denuclearisation.” It’s a phrase that’s appeared more than once in recent North Korean statements.Still, it helps to approach all this with healthy skepticism. State-run images and announcements are notoriously difficult to verify. The blurriness of North Korea’s claims is matched only by the opacity of its leadership. Yet, it’s hard to ignore the cumulative impact of these provocations—each missile, each submarine announcement ratchets up tension just a bit more, keeping militaries on both sides of the 38th parallel on edge.Ultimately, the message is directed as much at outsiders as at North Korea’s own citizens: Pyongyang is not backing down. The wider world, especially the U.S. and its regional partners, remains caught in this carefully staged drama, forced to respond to every new test, however ambiguous the reality may be.From a distance, these launches might seem like routine bluster, but for those responsible for regional security, they’re potent reminders that the Korean Peninsula remains one of the world’s most unpredictable flashpoints. Each headline is a piece of a much larger puzzle, and for now, the picture is anything but reassuring.