politics
North Korea Leader Vows to Equip Navy With Nuclear Weapons
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un announced plans to arm naval vessels with nuclear weapons during a destroyer commissioning ceremony. The statement marks a continuation of Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions amid ongoing diplomatic tensions.
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un announced plans to arm the country's navy with nuclear weapons during a commissioning ceremony for a new destroyer at a shipyard in the western seaport of Nampo. The official Korean Central News Agency reported the remarks the following day.
Kim stated that the navy is "rising into a full-fledged service equipped with strategic means" as the nuclear weapons program proceeds according to plan.
Korea added language formalizing its status as a nuclear power to its constitution in 2023. Pyongyang has rejected calls from Washington and U.S.-allied Seoul for complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. A U.S. readout listed denuclearization as a shared goal, while China's version omitted any reference to the topic.
Korea revealed construction of the 5,000-ton destroyer 18 months ago and launched it in April 2025. A second vessel in the same class capsized during a May launch at the Chongjin shipyard on the east coast but was later righted. Earlier this month, Kim visited a newly built nuclear enrichment facility and pledged to expand the country's strategic forces exponentially.
