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North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, has directed efforts to speed up the process of equipping the country’s naval fleet with nuclear weapons, according to reports by state media outlet KCNA on Wednesday.
The directive came during Kim’s supervision of the first day of a two-day weapons trial aboard North Korea’s newest warship, the Choe Hyon. KCNA quoted Kim as saying that the current security climate demanded urgent steps to arm the navy with nuclear weapons to protect the nation and its maritime interests.
Photos released earlier showed Kim attending the launch ceremony of the Choe Hyon with his daughter Ju Ae, whom many analysts consider a potential successor. The warship, named after a historic anti-Japanese figure, is a 5,000-tonne destroyer that reportedly took over a year to construct. Military experts believe the vessel is capable of carrying both ship-to-air and ship-to-ground missiles. According to NK News, it may be armed with tactical nuclear weapons.
On April 28, North Korea conducted a series of tests from the Choe Hyon, including launches of supersonic and strategic cruise missiles, an anti-aircraft missile, and a 127mm automatic naval gun. The following day featured additional trials involving ship-to-ship guided weapons, various naval guns, and equipment designed for electronic warfare and concealment.
In March, Kim visited a facility working on a nuclear-powered submarine, stressing that strengthening North Korea’s naval power was a core strategic priority. He has since called for an overhaul of both surface and underwater forces, along with the expansion of warship capabilities.
Though Pyongyang has previously claimed to be developing underwater nuclear drones capable of causing a “radioactive tsunami”, analysts remain sceptical about the existence or effectiveness of such weapons.
In response to North Korea’s increasing military posturing, the United States — South Korea’s key security ally — has intensified joint military exercises and deployed strategic assets like nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers around the Korean Peninsula. Pyongyang continues to condemn these drills, viewing them as preparations for invasion, and maintains its stance as an “irreversible” nuclear power.
