North Korea's weakest military branch is getting a high-profile upgrade. On Tuesday, Kim Jong Un revealed a 5,000-ton destroyer that he says marks the start of a nuclear-armed navy capable of operating far beyond the country's shores, reports NBC News. The warship, named Choe Hyon, was commissioned at the Nampho Shipyard on the nation's west coast and formally placed into service after the commissioning ceremony, per the AP. State media says it can carry nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles and will guard the country's western waters. Kim called the ship a "new symbol" of sea power and claimed it ends more than seven decades of naval stagnation, per NBC.
Analysts say the vessel, first shown publicly last year, appears to be a meaningful step in North Korea's effort to modernize its aging fleet, though its true capabilities can't be independently confirmed. The push comes as Pyongyang deepens ties with Russia and China, expands its nuclear arsenal, and adopts a tougher line toward South Korea after the collapse of talks with President Trump. Kim pledged to roll out 10,000-ton strategic warships in succession, at least two surface ships a year, even as experts warn that infrastructure, maintenance, and training could limit how far his naval ambitions actually go. The Guardian has more on why the leader is rushing to grow his nukes arsenal in an "exponential" fashion, which he says is part of his plan of "overtaking the world."
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
