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This undated photo provided on Feb. 2, 2024, by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, visits a shipyard in Nampho, North Korea. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: "KCNA" which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

North Korean leader Kim calls for war readiness while inspecting construction of warships

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reiterated his focus on strengthening his naval forces as he inspected the construction of new warships

By KIM TONG-HYUNG
Published - Feb 01, 2024, 07:44 PM ET
Last Updated - Feb 01, 2024, 07:44 PM EST

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reiterated his focus on strengthening his naval forces as he inspected the construction of new warships at an eastern shipyard, calling such projects crucial to the country’s war preparations, state media said Friday.

His visit to the shipyard in Nampho followed a series of weapons demonstrations in January that furthered increased tensions with rivals, including tests of new cruise missiles designed to be launched from submarines.

Kim in recent months has been emphasizing his goals of building a nuclear-armed navy to counter what he portrays as growing external threats posed by the United States, South Korea and Japan, which have stepped up their military cooperation to cope with Kim’s nuclear weapons and missile program.

North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency did not specify when Kim visited Nampho. It paraphrased Kim as saying that the strengthening of his naval force “presents itself as the most important issue in reliably defending the maritime sovereignty of the country and stepping up the war preparations.”

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