North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has commissioned a new 5,000-ton naval destroyer, announcing it to be a great step forward in increasing the nation’s nuclear-tipped armed forces, state media reported on Saturday. The ship was christened at the western port of Nampo on Friday, with Kim himself attending the ceremony.
Kim characterized the destroyer as an essential reaction to the perceived rising threats from the United States and its allies, condemning their mounting joint military maneuvers in the area. He pointed out that North Korea’s next major goal would be to develop a nuclear-powered submarine to enhance its naval strength further.
State television welcomed the “multipurpose” destroyer as the first of a series of heavily armed warships capable of carrying a range of systems, including anti-air, anti-ship armaments, and nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles. The new ship will be commissioned and enter active duty by early next year.
Kim also denounced the revised nuclear deterrence policies pursued by South Korea and the US as provocations against which North Korea has to respond “decisively,” KCNA reported. Pyongyang’s latest assertions are yet to be addressed by South Korean authorities.
The launch comes after North Korea’s earlier revelation of a nuclear-powered submarine in development, although experts doubt whether the nation can independently develop such technology. Nuclear submarines are among a number of advanced weapons Kim vowed to create in 2021, including hypersonic missiles, spy satellites, and solid-fueled ICBMs.
At the same time, Kim’s diplomatic attention has turned toward Moscow. Pyongyang has provided Russia with weapons and soldiers as it pursues its war in Ukraine, causing speculations that North Korea will be given economic assistance and cutting-edge technology in return. Although former American leader Donald Trump has said he is open to renewing diplomatic engagement with Kim, Pyongyang has had nothing to say for now.
