North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un says the country is equipping its navy with nuclear weapons and is moving ahead with plans to build larger warships, according to state media reports cited by multiple outlets. The remarks are made around the commissioning of the Choe Hyon warship in Nampo, a port city, on Tuesday, with South Korea-based reporting describing the event as covered by the Korean Central News Agency.
Kim states that the program to equip the navy with nuclear weapons is proceeding as planned and describes it as strategically important. Several reports add that the Choe Hyon is one of two 5,000-ton class warships launched last year. Other outlets report that North Korea’s leadership also unveils plans for 10,000-ton (or roughly 9,000-tonne) warships.
All sources note that North Korea is under multiple sets of international sanctions tied to its nuclear programme, which Kim and other leaders have said they intend to pursue. The reports present the announcement as part of North Korea’s broader nuclear deterrence posture, particularly in relation to the United States and South Korea.
