North Korea has revealed its intention to construct a third naval destroyer with a capacity of 5,000 tons by October next year. This declaration comes after the country had previously launched its inaugural 5,000-ton destroyer, the Choe Hyon, back in April. In May, the second such ship, known as the Kang Kon, unfortunately met with an incident where it capsized during its launch but was later rectified and floated again the following month.
In pursuit of its naval ambitions, workers at the Nampho Shipyard have vowed to build the new ship by October 10, 2026, which coincides with the founding anniversary of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea. The shipyard’s head has encouraged the workers to meet this deadline to support the party’s mission of building a powerful military and safeguarding the nation’s sovereignty and interests at sea.
North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, emphasized the need for a more extensive and rapid development of the country’s naval power to prevent any potential aggressive actions by adversaries in their surrounding waters.
This latest announcement aligns with South Korea’s new President, Lee Jae Myung, adopting a more conciliatory approach towards the North compared to his predecessor, the impeached Yoon Suk Yeol.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/north-korea-announces-plans-to-build-third-navy-destroyer/a-73361124?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
