North Korea likely received help from Russia on submarines: South Korea

North Korea has likely received technical help from Russia for its submarine development, South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back told parliament.

Ahn told the parliament’s Defence Committee hearing on Monday that it appeared true that the North was receiving “various technologies” for its submarine development.

The minister said, however, it was premature to conclude Pyongyang had test-launched a SLBM (submarine-launched ballistic missile) from a submarine.

North Korea has vowed to develop submarines that can launch ballistic missiles and has test-fired such missiles from submerged platforms, but it is not clear whether Pyongyang has succeeded in mastering a launch from submarines.