North Korea is building a new ballistic missile submarine that could one day be a nightmare for the US and its allies

• North Korea has been working on a new ballistic missile submarine, and experts believe its launch may be coming soon, as North Korea recently showed it off.

• Were the submarine to achieve true operational capability, it could serve as an alternative strike option and potentially threaten US forces and allies in the region with ballistic missiles tipped with nuclear warheads.

• That being said, expert observers believe it will take several years for this “emerging threat” to become a “significant threat.”

North Korea is widely believed to be developing a new ballistic missile submarine that could one day be trouble for US forces and allies in the region, but experts say it may take years to turn this boat into a serious threat.

Last month, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected a “newly built submarine.” North Korean media reported that its “operational deployment is near at hand.” Observers suspect this is a new ballistic missile submarine, a weapon North Korea has described as “an important component in [the] national defense of our country.”

If it eventually works, this kind of submarine would give North Korea and alternative sea-based strike option to attack countries like South Korea or Japan, as well as US bases. (truncated)