Kim Jong Un’s tour of a “newly built submarine” at a submarine factory, reported by North Korean state media on July 23, marks Kim’s first appearance dedicated exclusively to a submarine since August 2016. Kim between May 2015 and August 2016 guided three “underwater test-launches of strategic submarine-launched ballistic missiles.” 

The North’s handling of Kim’s submarine inspection appears aimed at escalating pressure on the U.S. and boosting the morale of the military and the munitions sector at home, while at the same time leaving flexibility for continuing nuclear diplomacy with the U.S. 

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