Kim Jong Un announces an “unprecedented” warship being built in North Korea

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un announced that his country is building a new warship equipped with a combat system that he says does not exist in any other country. He made the statement on Monday during a visit to the Nampo shipyard on North Korea’s west coast, and it was reported Wednesday by the official KCNA news agency.

Kim cited geopolitical changes and hostile actions by adversaries to justify the need for “more advanced and more powerful” military vessels. According to the North Korean leader, the new ship would have operational capabilities far superior to those of the destroyer unveiled last year.

A South Korean analyst quoted by AFP believes the system mentioned could include a large number of strategic Hwasal cruise missiles, tactical nuclear weapons, and ship-to-ship and surface-to-air missiles. The information has not been independently confirmed.

North Korea is operating its shipyards at full capacity and has already launched the Choe Hyon and Kang Kon destroyers, each weighing approximately 5,000 tons. Kim Jong Un has also called for the construction of 10,000-ton ships and for the navy to be equipped with nuclear weapons. The announcement comes after an intensification of tests involving drones, missiles, and torpedoes, amid persistent tensions with South Korea.