 Solution

Use the simple-root form of the Hensel lemma: for $F\in {\mathcal{O}}_K[T]$ and $\bar{a}\in k_K$ satisfying $\overline{F}(\bar{a})=0$ and $\overline{F^{\prime }}(\bar{a})\ne 0$, there is a unique $a\in {\mathcal{O}}_K$ with $\bar{a}$ as its reduction and $F(a)=0$.

Let $d=[\ell :k_K]$. The residue field $k_K$ is finite, so $\ell /k_K$ is separable, and the primitive element theorem gives $\ell =k_K(\bar{\alpha })$. Let $\bar{F}$ be the monic irreducible polynomial of $\bar{\alpha }$, of degree $d$, and choose a monic coefficient lift $F\in {\mathcal{O}}_K[T]$. Irreducible reduction implies that $F$ is irreducible over $K$: any monic factorization over $K$ has integral coefficients, since all its roots are integral over the valuation ring, and would reduce to a factorization of $\bar{F}$.

Adjoin a root $\alpha$ and put $L=K(\alpha )$. Then $[L:K]=d$ and $\alpha \in {\mathcal{O}}_L$. Its reduction satisfies $\bar{F}$, so $k_L$ contains a copy of $\ell$ over $k_K$. For finite extensions of non-Archimedean local fields, the fundamental degree relation isThe residue degree is at least $d$, while the left side equals $d$, henceThis constructs the required unramified extension.

For uniqueness, let $L^{\prime }/K$ be another unramified extension with a chosen identification $k_{L^{\prime }}\cong \ell$. The element corresponding to $\bar{\alpha }$ is a simple residue root of $F$, because finite fields are perfect. The Hensel lemma in $L^{\prime }$ gives a root ${\alpha }^{\prime }\in {\mathcal{O}}_{L^{\prime }}$ with this reduction. Since $F$ is irreducible of degree $d$, $[K({\alpha }^{\prime }):K]=d=[L^{\prime }:K]$, so $L^{\prime }=K({\alpha }^{\prime })$. Sending $\alpha$ to ${\alpha }^{\prime }$ yields a $K$-isomorphism $L\to L^{\prime }$, compatible with the prescribed residue identification. ThusThis proves the existence and uniqueness of unramified local extensions using the stated version of Hensel's lemma, without assuming the classification in advance.