The double differential cross section of low momentum kaons (# 0.3 GeV͞c) from p 1 C collisions at subthreshold bombarding energies has been for the first time measured by the use of the CLAMSUD magnetic spectrometer installed at the CELSIUS storage ring. Invariant cross sections extracted from the data show a source rapidity shifted below the nucleon-nucleon rapidity, in agreement with the existence of multistep processes in the K 1 production cross section. The total cross section of the inclusive reaction 12 C͑p, K 1 ͒ at 1.2 GeV was extracted and compared with recent data systematics as a function of the proton bombarding energy. [S0031-9007 (98)06266-8] PACS numbers: 25.40.Ve, 25.40.QaWhile the production of pions at subthreshold energies, i.e., at energies lower than the threshold for free nucleonnucleon (NN) collisions, has been extensively studied both in proton-nucleus [1] and in nucleus-nucleus [2] collisions, only recently have the first data on the production of K 1 from proton-nucleus collisions in the subthreshold regime been published [3].