North Korea moves closer to building nuclear fleet — Bloomberg
Photo: North Korean destroyer Choe Hyon (Getty Images)
North Korea has commissioned its first 5,000-metric-ton destroyer, Choe Hyon, as part of its nuclear fleet, according to Bloomberg.
A formal ceremony to commission the destroyer into the fleet took place at the port of Nampo on the country’s west coast. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended the event.
According to him, the warship possesses the most advanced operational and combat capabilities, and the program to equip the fleet with nuclear weapons is proceeding according to a clear plan. In this way, Pyongyang is seeking to build up its military strength in the Yellow Sea and in the eastern waters toward Japan.
Pyongyang’s ambitious plans
The new ship will mark the beginning of a large-scale expansion of the North Korean navy. Over the next five years, the country plans to build two even larger ships each year.
In particular, the DPRK leader announced the development of:
- Cruiser with a displacement of 10,000 metric tons
- Escort vessels
- Underwater weapon systems.
Kim Jong Un also called for accelerating the expansion of the country’s nuclear capabilities. In his view, the current situation in the Middle East proves that a nuclear policy is the only way to defend the state.
Currently, the DPRK’s naval forces consist mainly of small vessels designed for coastal defense.
Earlier, North Korea’s Foreign Ministry stated that the issue of the country’s nuclear disarmament was definitively closed—Pyongyang had no plans to renounce its status as a nuclear power.
In June, Kim Jong Un announced plans to transform North Korea’s navy into a key element of nuclear deterrence and to integrate it into the overall military doctrine.
