Kim Jong Un unveils an ambitious naval plan: North Korea wants to build two destroyers per year

North Korea plans to significantly accelerate the development of its navy. At a commissioning ceremony for a new destroyer, leader Kim Jong Un announced that the country would build two large warships each year for the next five years, marking a new stage in the modernization of the North Korean armed forces.

Kim Jong Un attended a ceremony at Nampho Port to celebrate the commissioning of the 5,000-ton multipurpose destroyer Choe Hyon. According to the official KCNA news agency, the vessel successfully completed a series of operational military trials conducted over the past fourteen months.

The North Korean leader also indicated that a second destroyer of the same tonnage, named Kang Kon, is expected to be deployed soon. Pyongyang also plans to build even larger strategic warships, potentially reaching 10,000 tons, as part of its naval strengthening program.

The Kang Kon did suffer a setback last year when it partially capsized during its launch ceremony. North Korean authorities, however, maintain that the vessel has since been repaired and will soon rejoin the fleet.

In his speech, Kim Jong Un acknowledged that the navy had historically been the weak point of the country's armed forces. However, he asserted that this situation was rapidly changing thanks to investments in naval capabilities and military infrastructure.

The North Korean leader declared that the navy's future capabilities would be "beyond imagination," according to state media reports. This rhetoric is part of a broader strategy to showcase the country's military advancements in the face of what Pyongyang portrays as growing external threats.

This announcement comes as North Korea actively pursues the modernization of its armed forces, particularly in the areas of missiles, strategic weapons, and now naval power. The program unveiled by Kim Jong Un suggests a significant expansion of the North Korean fleet over the next decade, heightening security concerns in the Asia-Pacific region.