The key facts

  • Kim Jong Un visited the Nampo Shipyard and inspected the ship under construction
  • According to KCNA, production processes are being modernized at the shipyard, and the vessel is being built at an accelerated pace
  • The DPRK leader said the ship is intended for complex operational missions

Inspection of the shipyard in Nampo

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited the Nampo Shipyard, where he reviewed the progress of construction of a new ship. This is reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), which is cited by Gazeta.Ru. According to the agency, the enterprise is continuing to modernize its production processes, and the new vessel is being built at an accelerated pace; Kim Jong Un inspected the ship and familiarized himself with the progress of the work.

Statements about the ship's purpose

The North Korean leader said that the vessel was designed with the specifics of modern warfare in mind and is intended to carry out complex operational missions. According to him, the ship is to become a powerful combat system with unique operational capabilities built in already at the design stage.

Context of Pyongyang's earlier statements

Gazeta.Ru recalls the North Korean side's previous statements: earlier Kim Jong Un said that the DPRK must accelerate the equipping of its naval forces with nuclear weapons, calling this necessary to protect the state and its maritime sovereignty from existing and prospective threats. In addition, Kim Jong Un's sister earlier accused the United States of seeking to use nuclear weapons against North Korea. Sources do not directly comment on any connection between these statements and the shipyard inspection; the report gives no information on the ship's completion timeline or its specifications.