Kim Calls for Rapid Naval Expansion as North Korea Warns Washington

(MENAFN) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for a swift expansion of the country's naval combat capabilities to counter what Pyongyang describes as hostile actions by its adversaries, while the government warned Washington of a stronger response to its policies toward North Korea.

Kim made the remarks during a visit to the Nampho shipyard on Monday, where he received an update on modernization work and inspected a new warship currently under construction, according to state media.

"It is vital and important requirement of the times to rapidly bolster up the surface and underwater combat power for defending the national sovereignty in the sea under various threats," Kim said.

He argued that recent geopolitical developments and what he described as hostile activities by other countries in the region demonstrated the need for North Korea to develop “the most developed and powerful warship.”

North Korean media did not disclose technical specifications or further details about the vessel, but described it as a ship “designed to carry out its complex operational mission in consideration of the present-day warfare.”

The visit underscores Pyongyang's stated intention to strengthen both surface and underwater naval capabilities amid continued tensions with the United States.

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