North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is advancing efforts to strengthen the navy, announcing the goal to develop maritime forces capable of functioning as part of the country's nuclear war deterrence system.
North Korea's state news agency reported that Kim Jong Un inspected the destroyer "Kang Gon" to oversee its sea trial tests and emphasized the necessity of enhancing the navy's capabilities to address security threats.
This move comes as North Korea and China announced that Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Pyongyang from 8 to 9 June, following Xi's recent meetings last month with U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Reports indicate that Kim Jong Un has increasingly prioritized developing North Korea's navy over recent years. In May last year, he attended the first launch of the Kang Gon destroyer, which encountered issues during its debut before being repaired and returned to service a month later.
During his latest visit last Thursday, Kim stated that North Korea needs to accelerate naval development to build a combat force reliably responsible for part of the nuclear war deterrence system.
The North Korean leader also said that building a navy capable of inflicting serious damage on enemies both above and below the water is a key objective of the Workers' Party of Korea's five-year defense development plan.
Images released by North Korean state media showed Kim Jong Un visiting with senior officials, including his daughter Kim Ju Ae, who is watched closely as a potential significant figure in North Korea's future.
After the 2019 summit between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump collapsed over disagreements on nuclear disarmament and sanctions, North Korea has repeatedly declared itself an irreversible nuclear state.
Additionally, the war in Ukraine has led to increased cooperation and support from Russia for North Korea, after Pyongyang sent thousands of troops to join joint operations with the Russian military.
Last year, Kim Jong Un appeared alongside Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin during a major military parade in Beijing, seen as a signal of North Korea's rising role on the global political stage.
: Sourcechannelnewsasia
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