While attending a weapons systems test aboard the DPRK’s Choe Hyon multi-mission destroyer, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made a significant statement on Wednesday, calling for an accelerated effort to equip the nation’s navy with nuclear weapons.
Following the demonstration, Kim reportedly observed that the warship’s firepower still relies heavily on conventional weaponry and “cannot be called a reliable means of maritime defense.”
He went on to emphasize that it is “high time to make a responsible option for accelerating the nuclearization of the Navy in order to defend the state and its maritime sovereignty from existing and future threats.”
This push for naval nuclear armament comes in the wake of a strategic partnership treaty signed in June 2024 between Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The agreement marked a pivotal shift, with North Korean troops officially joining Moscow’s military operation aimed at repelling a Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region. As part of the pact, Russia also pledged to assist in defending North Korea if necessary.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed earlier this week that the defense agreement between Moscow and Pyongyang remains “in effect.” President Putin has since expressed his gratitude to North Korean forces for their contribution to the liberation of the region, praising their “heroism, high level of specialized training, and bravery.”
The treaty binds both nations to provide immediate military support to one another should the need arise.