North Korea unveiled a new 5,000-ton-class multipurpose destroyer.
The Korean Central News Agency reported on the 26th that a commissioning ceremony for the new destroyer was held at the Nampo Shipyard with the attendance of Kim Jong Un, marking the founding anniversary of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army on the 25th.
According to the report, the vessel's class has been named 'Choe Hyon-class' after the anti-Japanese revolutionary fighter Choe Hyon.
Kim noted at the commissioning ceremony that it is historically significant and touching to announce the commissioning of 'the first multipurpose attack destroyer' on April 25, the day the country's first revolutionary armed forces were born.
Kim stated that the new destroyer will be delivered to the navy early next year and that it will enter operations. He said, "The most reliable means to actively manage and safely control the military threats on the Korean Peninsula, accompanied by nuclear threats, is to possess long-range operational capabilities, and we propose to build a long-range operational fleet now."
He added, "While our country's defensive lines and policies are thoroughly committed to protecting national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security interests, if an inevitable situation arises to achieve that, we will not hesitate to apply the strongest military force preemptively." He stated that "the scope of preemptive strike capabilities is not limited to any location or boundary."