Rédaction Africa Links 24 with AFP
Published on 2024-02-02 02:59:49
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un recently visited a shipyard to inspect warships, signaling an increased effort to enhance the country’s naval forces as it intensifies “war preparations,” state media reported. This statement comes amid recent escalations in tensions between North and South Korea, with Kim declaring South Korea as the North’s “principal enemy”, dismantling agencies dedicated to reunification, and threatening war over even minor territorial infringements. Kim’s visit to the shipyard followed the test launch of a new strategic cruise missile from a submarine, which he hailed as a pivotal moment in the development of North Korea’s naval power.
Kim’s expressed focus on strengthening the naval force underscores his commitment to defending the country’s maritime sovereignty and intensifying war preparations. He is reported to have expressed the view that building up the navy is the most crucial aspect of defending the maritime sovereignty of North Korea.
During his visit to the Nampho shipbuilding base, located about 65 kilometers southwest of Pyongyang, Kim was briefed on the progress of various warships under construction and on the preparations for a “new huge plan” assigned by the ruling party. Although no specific details of the plan were provided, Kim expressed his expectations that the workers at the dockyard would successfully build major warships on a world-class level.
At the 2021 party congress, Kim outlined his wish list of strategic weapons, including a nuclear-powered submarine, hypersonic warheads, spy satellites, and solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles. The visit to the shipyard signals Kim’s pursuit of his strategic goals laid out at the congress. It is worth noting that North Korea launched a “tactical nuclear attack submarine” last year, which South Korea’s military assessed as not being operational. Analysts have speculated that the vessel appeared to be a modification of an existing diesel-electric submarine initially designed in the 1950s. This recent focus on naval forces and the development of strategic weapons underscores North Korea’s strategic military priorities and its commitment to enhancing its naval capabilities.
Kim’s visit to the shipyard and his focus on enhancing naval capabilities have broader regional and global implications, given the longstanding tensions and the potential for military action on the Korean peninsula. North Korea’s military buildup and the development of advanced naval and missile technologies have the potential to significantly heighten regional security concerns, as well as impact international efforts toward denuclearization and non-proliferation. The international community will likely closely monitor these developments and seek diplomatic avenues to address the escalating tensions and the proliferation of advanced military capabilities in the region.
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