Kim Inspects Warship as North Korea Seeks Naval Expansion

Kim Jong Un inspected a warship under construction at Nampho Shipyard on November 2 and called for a faster expansion of North Korea’s naval and shipbuilding capacity, state media reported. The vessel’s class, displacement, weapons and completion schedule were not disclosed. Photographs released by the Korean Central News Agency showed part of the ship’s hull. Kim described it as much larger than a destroyer built the previous year. The agency said the vessel was designed for complex operational missions, but did not provide technical details. Its identity and capabilities have not been independently confirmed. During the visit, Kim called for automating production at the shipyard, changing the layout of its buildings and constructing a second dry dock. State media said the proposed dock would allow the facility to build and repair ships at the same time. The proposals were presented as plans for upgrading the yard, not as completed work. The visit follows a naval production plan Kim outlined in a June 23 speech. According to the state account, he called for building two surface warships annually over five years, including vessels larger than the Choe Hyon-class destroyer, and...