The Pukguksong (“Polaris”)-3 is a North Korean submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) with an estimated range of 1,900km.1 After implying the program’s existence in 2017, North Korea tested the missile near Wonsan on October 2, 2019. 2
Pukguksong-3 at a Glance
Originated From: North Korea
Possessed By: North Korea
Alternate Names: Pukkuksong-3
Class: Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM)
Basing: Submarine
Length: 7.8 – 8.3 m (estimated)
Diameter: 1.4 – 1.5 m
Launch Weight: Unknown
Payload: Unknown
Warhead: Unknown
Propulsion: Solid propellant
Range: 1,900 km (estimated)
Status: Unknown
First tested: 2019
Development
North Korea first hinted the development of Pukguksong-3 in August 
2017, showcasing a poster of the missile and upgraded equipment at the Chemical Materials Institute, a key element of its missile production complex.3 In October 2017, North Korea conducted a static test of a solid-propellant rocket motor reportedly intended for the Pukguksong-3.4 Pyongyang completed its expansion of solid-rocket production facilities—thought to produce the Pukguksong-series missiles—by mid-2018.5
North Korea first tested the Pukguksong-3 on October 2, 2019, firing the missile to a 450 km range and 910 km apogee.6 In the test, the missile cold-launched from an underwater platform and landed in Japan’s EEZ near Shimane Prefecture. A cold launch is a firing method common to submarine-based missiles in which missile is ejected from the launch tube, typically via a gas-powered system, prior to igniting its main motors. Data gathered by the Japanese Ministry of Defense suggests that the missile uses two stages.7
Specifications
Like its predecessors, Pukguksong-1 (KN-11) and Puguksong-2 (KN-15), the Pukguksong-3 is a two-stage, solid-fueled ballistic missile. The missile appears to be 7.8 – 8.3 meters long, 1.4 to 1.5 meters in diameter, and is cold-launched using an aft-mounted gas-generator system.8 After clearing the water, the missile ejects its rear engine cover and ignites its main booster. Preliminary analyses of Pukguksong-3’s trajectory estimate its range at roughly 1,900 km.9
Service History
The weapon is likely intended for deployment on North Korea’s Sinpo– or Sinpo-derived ballistic missile submarines. On July 22, 2019, North Korean state media revealed imagery of a new class of submarine, likely designed to carry missiles.10 Further activity at North Korea’s shipyards was reported on August 26.11 However, the Pukguksong-3’s service status—and the maturity of North Korea’s submarine program—remains uncertain.