North Korea to equip navy with nuclear weapons, build 10,000-tonne warships: Kim Jong Un

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said the country is advancing its plans to arm its navy with nuclear weapons and intends to build a new generation of 10,000-tonne warships, according to state media reports released on Wednesday.

The announcement came during a commissioning ceremony for the Choe Hyon, one of two 5,000-tonne-class warships launched by the nuclear-armed country last year. The event was held on Tuesday in the port city of Nampo, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

Kim outlines nuclear navy plans

Addressing the ceremony, Kim said the country's naval nuclear programme was progressing according to plan.

"The programme of equipping the Navy with nuclear weapons is following its planned course unerringly," Kim reportedly said.

"This is a strategic course of crucial importance as it will make it possible to keep the nuclear force of our state ready for multifaceted and efficient operation," he added.

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North Korea has previously described the Choe Hyon as being equipped with the "most powerful weapons". Kim has carried out several inspections of vessels in the same class this year, including overseeing a cruise missile test from the Choe Hyon in April.

Plans for larger warships

Kim also outlined plans to expand North Korea's naval fleet with larger vessels in the coming years.

"Following the Choe Hyon, we will soon commission destroyer Kang Kon for operations. After that we will launch 10,000-tonne strategic warships one after another," he said.

He further stated that North Korea should build two surface warships every year that are more advanced than the Choe Hyon, including a 10,000-tonne cruiser.

"Build every year two surface ships, whose class is higher than the Choe Hyon, including a 10,000-tonne cruiser," he said.

Defence expansion remains a priority

The remarks followed a three-day party plenary meeting that concluded on Monday, during which Kim pledged to strengthen the country's defence capabilities.

He cited military modernisation efforts by South Korea and the United States as factors pushing the region "to the brink of a nuclear war".

North Korea has repeatedly declared itself an "irreversible" nuclear state since the collapse of talks between Kim and Donald Trump at a summit in Hanoi in 2019. The meeting ended without an agreement over denuclearisation measures and sanctions relief.

Pyongyang remains subject to multiple international sanctions linked to its nuclear programme. The Korean Peninsula also technically remains in a state of war, as the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice rather than a formal peace treaty.