North Korea deploys warship ‘capable of annihilating retaliatory strikes’
Leader Kim Jong Un says vessel will form part of Pyongyang's nuclear response system, strengthen naval forces.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended the commissioning of a warship he said could deliver “annihilating retaliatory strikes on an enemy”, citing “constant threats”, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The Kang Kon, named after the North Korean military leader who was killed in action during the Korean War, was formally deployed at a ceremony at the eastern Wonsan Port in Kangwon Province on Sunday.
In his address, Kim said the warship “represents the self-respect and will” of North Korea to defend its rights and interests, KCNA reported.
A previous KCNA report said Choe Hyon-class destroyers can carry a range of weapons, including missiles that analysts say are capable of carrying a nuclear payload.