North Korea’s Kim watches missile test-firings from country’s first destroyer

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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea said Wednesday leader Kim Jong Un observed the test-firings of missiles from a recently launched destroyer — the first such warship for the North — and called for accelerating efforts to boost his navy’s nuclear attack capabilities.

North Korea last week unveiled the 5,000-ton destroyer equipped with what it called the most powerful weapons systems built for a navy vessel. During Friday’s launching ceremony at the western port of Nampo, Kim called the ship’s construction “a breakthrough” in modernizing North Korea’s naval forces.

Outside experts say it’s North Korea’s first destroyer and that it was likely built with Russian assistance. They say North Korea’s naval forces lag behind South Korea’s but still view the destroyer as a serious security threat as it could bolster North Korea’s attack and defense capabilities.

The official Korean Central News Agency said Wednesday that Kim watched the tests of the destroyer’s supersonic and strategic cruise missiles, anti-aircraft missile, automatic guns and electronic jamming guns earlier this week.

He appreciated the ship’s combination of powerful strike weapons and conventional defenses and set tasks to speed the nuclear-arming of his navy, the report said.

During the ship’s launching ceremony, Kim said the destroyer will be deployed early next year. He said the acquisition of a nuclear-powered submarine would be his next big step in strengthening his navy. He underscored the need to beef up North Korea’s deterrence capability to cope with what he called escalating U.S.-led hostilities targeting the North.

An analysis of photos of the warship shows that its anti-air radar system is likely from Russia, said Lee Illwoo, an expert with the Korea Defense Network in South Korea. He said the warship’s engine system and some of its anti-air weapons systems also likely came from Russia.

North Korea and Russia have been sharply expanding military and other cooperation in recent years, with the North supplying troops and conventional weapons to support Russia’s war efforts against Ukraine. The U.S., South Korea and their partners worry Russia will likely in return provide North Korea with high-tech weapons technologies that can enhance its nuclear program as well as shipping other military and economic assistance.

South Korea’s military said Wednesday that South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities were closely monitoring North Korean warship development. South Korea’s spy agency separately told lawmakers that North Korea won’t likely be able to deploy a nuclear-powered submarine anytime soon without Russian support.

In March, North Korea unveiled a nuclear-powered submarine under construction. Many civilian experts said at the time that North Korea may have received Russian technological assistance to build a nuclear reactor to be used in the submarine.

Lee said the deployment of a warship with an advanced radar system off North Korea’s west coast could sharply bolster its air defense capabilities for Pyongyang, the capital. Lee said South Korea, which has 12 destroyers, still vastly outpaces North Korea’s naval forces. But he said the North Korean destroyer, which can carry about 80 missiles, can still pose a big threat, as South Korea’s navy hasn’t likely braced for such an enemy warship.