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🇰🇷 South Korea /Energy & Infrastructure

North Korea Deploys Tactical-Nuclear-Capable Destroyer as Kim Jong Un Threatens Naval Nuclear Arming

From Dong-A Ilbo · () Korean

Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News From a news agency Ongoing story
  • North Korea says it has operationally deployed the 5,000-ton Kang Gun destroyer in the East Sea under Kim Jong Un’s supervision.
  • The ship can carry cruise missiles equipped with Hwasan-31 tactical nuclear warheads aimed at the South, according to the report.
  • Kim said North Korea was advancing the nuclear arming of its navy, while the new defense minister threatened a forceful response to the U.S.-South Korea-Japan Freedom Edge exercise.

North Korea has placed a new 5,000-ton destroyer into operational service, presenting the vessel as part of Kim Jong Un’s drive to nuclear-arm the navy.

Our navy’s nuclear arming is being realized, making it more suitable, diversified and practical for the use of deterrence.

· Kim Jong UnKim made the statement at the Kang Gun’s commissioning ceremony at Wonsan Port.

The Kang Gun entered service at Wonsan Port on the 6th, with Kim attending the commissioning ceremony, the Korean Central News Agency reported on the 7th. In a speech, Kim said the country’s naval nuclear arming was becoming more suited to the use of deterrence and was being expanded, diversified and made more practical.

The destroyer operates cruise missiles capable of carrying Hwasan-31 tactical nuclear warheads, which the report said could target the entire South Korean mainland. The ship entered service about a year and three months after it ran aground during its launch ceremony in May last year.

We are now carrying out important plans to strengthen our naval forces. I will prove that to the world once again in eight months.

· Kim Jong UnKim described North Korea’s plans to strengthen its navy.

Kim also said North Korea was carrying out important plans to strengthen its naval forces and would prove that to the world again in eight months. The report said this was analyzed as a possible indication that North Korea could launch its previously disclosed version of a strategic nuclear-powered submarine next year. North Korea’s new defense minister separately threatened “strong and reflexive response measures” over the U.S.-South Korea-Japan Freedom Edge joint exercise.

Strong and reflexive response measures will be taken.

· North Korea’s defense ministerThe new defense minister threatened action over the Freedom Edge joint exercise.
About this summary

Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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