North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has launched a new naval destroyer, claiming it marks significant progress in expanding his nuclear-armed military’s operational range and preemptive strike capabilities, according to state media reports on Saturday.
The 5,000-ton warship was launched on Friday at the western port of Nampo, with Kim Jong Un present at the ceremony.
Kim has framed this military expansion as a necessary response to perceived threats from the United States and its allies in Asia, citing their increased joint military exercises amid escalating tensions over North Korea’s nuclear program.
He also indicated that acquiring a nuclear-powered submarine is the next major step in bolstering his naval forces.
State media has touted the new “multipurpose” destroyer as the first in a new class of heavily armed warships.
It is designed to operate a range of weapons systems, including anti-air and anti-naval weapons, as well as nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles.
The destroyer is expected to be commissioned into active service early next year.
Kim criticised recent efforts by the United States and South Korea to expand joint military exercises and update their nuclear deterrence strategies, portraying them as preparations for war. He vowed to “respond decisively to this geopolitical crisis and ongoing developments,” according to his speech carried by KCNA.
South Korea’s military didn’t immediately comment on the North Korean claims about its new warship. North Korea’s unveiling of the new warship follows its March revealing of a purported nuclear-powered submarine under construction. However, some experts question whether the impoverished and largely isolated nation could develop such advanced capabilities without foreign assistance.
Nuclear-powered submarines were among a broad list of advanced weapons that Kim pledged to develop at a major political conference in 2021, citing growing U.S.-led threats. His wish list also included solid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missiles, hypersonic weapons, spy satellites, and multi-warhead missiles. Since then, North Korea has conducted a series of tests aimed at acquiring these capabilities.
Regional tensions have increased as Kim continues to flaunt his military nuclear capabilities and align with Russia over President Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said he would reach out to Kim again to revive diplomacy, but the North has not responded to that offer. While the two leaders met three times during Trump’s first term, negotiations broke down over disagreements on easing U.S.-led sanctions in exchange for steps toward the North’s denuclearization.
Kim’s foreign policy focus has since shifted to Russia, which he has supplied with weapons and military personnel to support its warfighting in Ukraine. South Korean officials are concerned that, in return, Pyongyang could receive economic aid and advanced military technology to further develop its weapons programs.
