North Korea’s Kim vows to build ‘most advanced’ warships

Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, has stated his intention to equip the country's navy with nuclear weapons and construct larger 10,000-tonne warships, according to state media reports. During a visit to the Nampho Shipyard on Monday, Kim toured a facility where North Korea is constructing a new warship, as reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The nuclear-armed nation has been rapidly modernizing its naval forces, commissioning 5,000-tonne destroyers and conducting tests of ship-launched missiles. Kim emphasized the need for advanced and powerful warships to counter perceived threats from the United States and South Korea, as North Korea develops weapons to extend its military reach beyond traditional coastal operations.

Kim claimed that the recently emerging geopolitical environment and hostile actions by adversaries demonstrated the necessity to possess the most advanced and powerful warships. He highlighted the significant military importance of the massive concentration of combat power embodied in these vessels. The warship being built boasts a combat system with operational capabilities that no other country possesses, according to Kim.

The Kimsaid that the construction of this vessel is vital for defending the homeland, preserving sovereignty, and deterring any threats. He expressed great satisfaction after inspecting the ship and stated that it was incomparable to a destroyer built the previous year. Experts suggest that the unprecedented operational capabilities of the new ships could indicate plans to equip them with strategic cruise missiles, tactical nuclear weapons, or ship-to-ship and ship-to-surface missiles.

The visit to the shipyard came a day after North Korea test-fired strategic cruise missiles, following a separate test of cluster bomb warheads over the weekend. Kim's sister, during a separate statement, warned the United States that North Korea will mount a stronger response to Washington's "invariable hostile policy" toward Pyongyang.