North Korean leader Kim Jong Un appears to have his eyes set on a “huge” new warship as part of plans to tighten the country’s sea border security.
The dictator called for modernising North Korea’s shipyards to “build a powerful navy” after inspecting the construction of a vessel believed to be its latest cruiser on Monday.
According to state-owned media KCNA, the warship is “incomparably huge...compared to the destroyer built last year”.
Kim gave field guidance during the visit to the Nampho Shipyard on the west coast and said expanding the capacity of the existing shipyards and increasing their operation rate was important to develop the country's marine industry for securing its sea border.
North Korea is building its third Choe Hyon-class destroyer under Kim's five-year defence development plan, which aims to produce two surface warships every year.
Images released by KNCA showed Kim and aides at the lower hull of a vessel supported by massive bilge blocks taller than the men. An analysis by the Korea Defense and Security Forum said it was the first published image of a 10,000-ton cruiser under construction. The Seoul-based think tank said the vessel will likely carry a significant number of cruise missiles that will allow longer-range ship-to-surface attack.
Kim’s visit comes as tensions between the two Koreas continues to rise following a landmine blast that injured three South Korean soldiers on 21 September in the western sector of the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ).
North Korea has always denied any involvement in the incident, accusing Seoul of using the blast to depict Pyongyang's border construction as a military incursion.
On 27 October, North Korea pointed a 15-mile howitzer with its gun barrels pointed south – just weeks after it threatened to redeploy loudspeaker broadcasts and “additional tactical weapons” along the border.
On Monday, a South Korean sergeant was pronounced dead after being injured at a frontline unit in Cheorwon near the border. The exact cause and circumstance of his death is currently unknown. Seoul’s Defence Ministry said military and civilian investigators are examining the case.
It is not currently clear whether the staff sergeant’s death is related to border tensions between the two Koreas.
On Wednesday, North Korea launched multiple missiles towards waters off its east coast, according to South Korea’s military. The country tested a strategic cruise missile mounted with a dispersal warhead on 2 Nov and assessed the flight characteristics for a vertical strike, KCNA reported.
Seoul said it had detected the launches originating from Sondok, a coastal area in eastern North Korea. It marks North Korea’s sixth missile test in the months of October and November this year.
Read MoreNorth Korea launches multiple missiles towards waters off east coast
How North Korea became a state-sponsored cybercrime leader even before Binance hack
North Korea denies involvement in $6.3bn Binance hack
North Korea-linked hackers likely behind cyberattack, Japanese internet company finds
Cause of fire which killed 168 in Hong Kong revealed by inquiry
South Korean sergeant dies after being injured near North Korea border
