North Korea's leader wants to equip warships with nuclear weapons

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has declared his intention to construct even larger warships than previously planned and to equip the nation's navy with nuclear weapons. The announcement came on Tuesday during the inauguration ceremony for the warship Choe Hyon in the port city of Nampo, according to the state-run KCNA news agency.

Kim stated that the program to arm the fleet with nuclear weapons is proceeding according to plan. He described this strategic course as crucial for maintaining the country's nuclear strength in a state of readiness for flexible and effective use. The newly commissioned warship, Choe Hyon, is reported by North Korea to be equipped with the most powerful weapons, and the navy has several other ships in the same class.

Beyond the current fleet, Kim unveiled plans for ships weighing 10,000 tons, significantly larger than the 5,000-ton Choe Hyon. This expansion of naval capabilities, particularly the integration of nuclear weapons, is primarily aimed at deterring the United States, according to analysts.

Lim Eul-chul, who teaches North Korean studies at Kyungnam University in South Korea, believes these nuclear-armed vessels are intended to effectively deter or prevent U.S. military intervention on the Korean Peninsula in the event of a conflict. North Korea's relationship with South Korea has become increasingly strained in recent years, exacerbated by South Korea's close military cooperation with the U.S., which maintains approximately 28,500 soldiers stationed in the country.

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Nordkorea ser disse våben som en mulighed for effektivt at afskrække eller forhindre amerikansk militær indgriben på den koreanske halvø i tilfælde af en konflikt.