Latest news with #Nampo
CTV News
12 hours ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Kim Jong Un slams South Korea-U.S. drills during an inspection of his most powerful warship
In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, the warship Choe Hyon in Nampo, North Korea, on Aug. 18, 2025. 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)
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kim Jong Un slams South Korea-US drills during an inspection of his most powerful warship
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un condemned South Korean-U.S. military drills and vowed a rapid expansion of his nuclear forces to counter rivals, state media said Tuesday, as he inspected his most advanced warship being fitted with nuclear-capable systems. Kim's visit to the western port of Nampo on Monday came as the South Korean and U.S. militaries kicked off their annual large-scale summertime exercise to bolster readiness against growing North Korean threats. The 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield, which the allies describe as defensive, will mobilize 21,000 troops, including 18,000 South Koreans, for computer-simulated command post operations and field training. North Korea has long denounced the allies' joint drills as invasion rehearsals and Kim has often used them to justify his own military displays and testing activities aimed at expanding his nuclear weapons program. The Korean Peninsula remains in a technical state of war, divided by the Demilitarized Zone into North Korea and South Korea. While inspecting the warship Choe Hyon, a 5,000-ton-class destroyer first unveiled in April, Kim said the allies' joint military drills show hostility and their supposed 'will to ignite a war,' the North's Korean Central News Agency said. He claimed that the exercises have grown more provocative than before by incorporating a 'nuclear element,' requiring the North to respond with 'proactive and overwhelming' countermeasures. 'The security environment around the DPRK is getting more serious day by day and the prevailing situation requires us to make a radical and swift change in the existing military theory and practice and rapid expansion of nuclearization,' KCNA paraphrased Kim as saying, using the initials of North Korea's formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Kang Yu-jung, spokesperson for South Korea's new liberal president, Lee Jae Myung, who wants to improve ties with the North, said Seoul has 'always regarded the Ulchi exercises as defensive' but offered no further comment on Kim's remarks. South Korea's Defense Ministry said it had no immediate new assessments to share regarding the North Korean warship's capabilities. South Korean and U.S. military officials say Ulchi Freedom Shield will focus on countering North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile threat and will include training to deter North Korean nuclear use and respond to its missile attacks. The exercise will also incorporate lessons from recent conflicts, including Russia's war in Ukraine and the clash between Israel and Iran, and address threats from drones, GPS jamming and cyberattacks. Kim sees destroyer as key to nuclear-capable navy Kim has hailed the development of his naval destroyer, Choe Hyon, as a significant advancement toward his goal of expanding the operational range and preemptive strike capabilities of his nuclear-armed military. State media said the destroyer, which is being prepared to enter active duty next year, is designed to handle various weapons systems, including antiair and anti-naval weapons, as well as nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles. The North unveiled a second destroyer of the same class in May, but the vessel was damaged during a botched launching ceremony at the northeastern port of Chongjin, prompting an angry reaction from Kim, who called the failure 'criminal.' The North has said the new destroyer, named Kang Kon, was relaunched in June after repair, but some outside experts have questioned whether the ship is fully operational. During Monday's visit to Nampo, Kim also reviewed North Korean efforts to complete a third destroyer by October, KCNA said. While inspecting Choe Hyon, Kim expressed satisfaction with the progress of the warship's weapons tests and its integrated operations system, saying the navy's modernization and move toward nuclear-capable capabilities are proceeding as planned. He instructed officials to carry out performance tests in October, KCNA said. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have worsened in recent years as Kim accelerated his military nuclear program and deepened alignment with Moscow following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. His government has repeatedly dismissed calls by Washington and Seoul to revive negotiations aimed at winding down his nuclear and missile programs, which derailed in 2019 following a collapsed summit with U.S. President Donald Trump during his first term. In his latest message to Pyongyang on Friday, Lee, who took office in June, said he would seek to restore a 2018-inter-Korean military agreement designed to reduce border tensions and called for North Korea to respond to the South's efforts to rebuild trust and revive talks. The 2018 military agreement, reached during a brief period of diplomacy between the Koreas, created buffer zones on land and sea and no-fly zones above the border to prevent clashes. But South Korea suspended the deal in 2024, citing tensions over North Korea's launches of trash-laden balloons toward the South, and moved to resume front-line military activities and propaganda campaigns. The step came after North Korea had already declared it would no longer abide by the agreement. Solve the daily Crossword
Asharq Al-Awsat
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
North Korean Leader Slams South Korea-US Military Drills While Inspecting His Most Powerful Warship
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un condemned South Korean-US military drills and vowed a rapid expansion of his nuclear forces to counter rivals, state media said Tuesday, as he inspected his most advanced warship being fitted with nuclear-capable systems. Kim's visit to the western port of Nampo on Monday came as the South Korean and US militaries kicked off their annual large-scale summertime exercise to bolster readiness against growing North Korean threats. The 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield, which the allies describe as defensive, will mobilize 21,000 troops, including 18,000 South Koreans, for computer-simulated command post operations and field training. North Korea has long denounced the allies' joint drills as invasion rehearsals and Kim has often used them to justify his own military displays and testing activities aimed at expanding his nuclear weapons program. The Korean Peninsula remains in a technical state of war, divided by the Demilitarized Zone into North Korea and South Korea. While inspecting the warship Choe Hyon, a 5,000-ton-class destroyer first unveiled in April, Kim said the allies' joint military drills show hostility and their supposed 'will to ignite a war,' the North's Korean Central News Agency said. He claimed that the exercises have grown more provocative than before by incorporating a 'nuclear element,' requiring the North to respond with 'proactive and overwhelming' countermeasures. 'The security environment around the DPRK is getting more serious day by day and the prevailing situation requires us to make a radical and swift change in the existing military theory and practice and rapid expansion of nuclearization,' KCNA paraphrased Kim as saying, using the initials of North Korea's formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The government of South Korea's new liberal President Lee Jae Myung, who has expressed a willingness to repair ties and resume dialogue with the North, did not immediately respond to Kim's comments. South Korea's Defense Ministry said it had no immediate new assessments to share regarding the North Korean warship's capabilities. South Korean and US military officials say Ulchi Freedom Shield will focus on countering North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile threat and will include training to deter North Korean nuclear use and respond to its missile attacks. The exercise will also incorporate lessons from recent conflicts, including Russia's war in Ukraine and the clash between Israel and Iran, and address threats from drones, GPS jamming and cyberattacks. Kim sees destroyer as key to nuclear-capable navy Kim has hailed the development of his naval destroyer, Choe Hyon, as a significant advancement toward his goal of expanding the operational range and preemptive strike capabilities of his nuclear-armed military. State media said the destroyer, which is being prepared to enter active duty next year, is designed to handle various weapons systems, including antiair and anti-naval weapons, as well as nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles. The North unveiled a second destroyer of the same class in May, but the vessel was damaged during a botched launching ceremony at the northeastern port of Chongjin, prompting an angry reaction from Kim, who called the failure 'criminal.' The North has said the new destroyer, named Kang Kon, was relaunched in June after repair, but some outside experts have questioned whether the ship is fully operational. During Monday's visit to Nampo, Kim also reviewed North Korean efforts to complete a third destroyer by October, KCNA said. While inspecting Choe Hyon, Kim expressed satisfaction with the progress of the warship's weapons tests and its integrated operations system, saying the navy's modernization and move toward nuclear-capable capabilities are proceeding as planned. He instructed officials to carry out performance tests in October, KCNA said. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have worsened in recent years as Kim accelerated his military nuclear program and deepened alignment with Moscow following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. His government has repeatedly dismissed calls by Washington and Seoul to revive negotiations aimed at winding down his nuclear and missile programs, which derailed in 2019 following a collapsed summit with US President Donald Trump during his first term. In his latest message to Pyongyang on Friday, Lee, who took office in June, said he would seek to restore a 2018-inter-Korean military agreement designed to reduce border tensions and called for North Korea to respond to the South's efforts to rebuild trust and revive talks. The 2018 military agreement, reached during a brief period of diplomacy between the Koreas, created buffer zones on land and sea and no-fly zones above the border to prevent clashes. But South Korea suspended the deal in 2024, citing tensions over North Korea's launches of trash-laden balloons toward the South, and moved to resume front line military activities and propaganda campaigns. The step came after North Korea had already declared it would no longer abide by the agreement.
Sky News
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Sky News
Kim Jong Un tours new North Korean warship - months after 'criminal' botched launch
Kim Jong Un has toured his country's latest battleship - three months after he lambasted the botched launch of another vessel. The North Korean leader inspected the 5,000-tonne destroyer Choe Hyon, first unveiled in April, at the western port of Nampo. He was pictured on deck, in the captain's office, sitting on a bunk bed and on the ship's bridge. The backdrop of some of the images was blurred to obscure the equipment in the background. North Korean state media said the Choe Hyon would enter service in 2026 and could accommodate an array of weapons systems - including nuclear-capable cruise and ballistic missiles. Mr Kim is said to have been satisfied with the progress of work on the ship and ordered performance tests for October, Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. Monday's trip appeared to go smoothly - a contrast to May when another destroyer, Kang Kon, was damaged in a launch ceremony he called "criminal". Mr Kim, who witnessed the incident, said at the time it "brought the dignity and self-respect of our state to a collapse". The regime has claimed the ship was relaunched in June after being repaired - and a third Choe Hyon-class destroyer is also said to be set for completion in the next few months. The battleship visit came as the North Korean leader criticised the start of US-South Korea military drills, saying it showed hostility and their "will to ignite a war", KCNA reported. He claimed the annual drills had become more provocative as they included a "nuclear element", meaning the North had to respond with "proactive and overwhelming" countermeasures. "The security environment around the DPRK is getting more serious day by day and the prevailing situation requires us to make a radical and swift change in the existing military theory and practice and rapid expansion of nuclearisation," KCNA paraphrased Mr Kim as saying. Around 21,000 troops - including 18,000 South Koreans - will take part in the 11-day-long Ulchi Freedom Shield, which began on Monday. US and South Korean officials say it's a defensive exercise but will include "several large-scale, live-fire training events", as well as lessons from recent conflicts including drone warfare, GPS jamming and cyber attacks.
The Independent
a day ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Kim Jong Un rants about ‘hostile' US-South Korea exercises while inspecting North Korea's largest warship
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un used a public appearance on Monday to rant about joint US-South Korean military drills that began this week, calling them an 'obvious expression of their will to provoke war'. Mr Kim also vowed to rapidly expand his country's nuclear arsenal in response, as he inspected his most advanced warship being fitted with nuclear-capable systems, reported state media KCNA. The North Korean leader's visit to the western port of Nampo on Monday came as South Korea and the US kicked off their annual large-scale summertime exercises, which are designed to prepare for the possibility of an attack from North Korea. Pyongyang regularly criticises such drills as rehearsals for invasion and sometimes responds with weapons tests, but Seoul and Washington have long rejected these concerns, calling the exercises purely defensive. The 11-day drills, dubbed Ulchi Freedom Shield, will be on a similar scale to 2024 but with 20 out of 40 field training events postponed to September, South Korea's military said earlier. Over the next few days, the two countries will mobilise 21,000 troops, including 18,000 South Koreans, for computer-simulated command post operations and field training. The delays to parts of the programme came as South Korean president Lee Jae Myung said he wanted to ease tensions with North Korea, though Pyongyang has repeatedly said it is not interested in improving relations. Lashing out over the joint military drills, Mr Kim labelled them a 'clear expression' of the two nations' will 'to remain most hostile and confrontational" to North Korea. During his visit to a navy destroyer on Monday, the North Korean leader said that the country needs to 'rapidly expand' its nuclear capabilities as the US-South Korea exercises have a "nuclear element". "The security environment around the DPRK is getting more serious day by day and the prevailing situation requires us to make a radical and swift change in the existing military theory and practice and rapid expansion of nuclearisation," KCNA paraphrased Mr Kim as saying, using the initials of North Korea's formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The South Korean government did not immediately respond to Mr Kim's comments, and South Korea's defence ministry said it had no new assessments to share regarding the North Korean warship's capabilities. South Korean and US military officials say Ulchi Freedom Shield will focus on countering North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile threat and will include training to deter North Korean nuclear use and respond to its missile attacks. The exercise will also incorporate lessons from recent conflicts, including Russia's war in Ukraine and the clash between Israel and Iran, and address threats from drones, GPS jamming and cyberattacks. Efforts by the United States and its allies to tackle North Korea's development of nuclear weapons are expected to be discussed at an upcoming meeting between US president Donald Trump and South Korean president Lee in Washington. A report by the Federation of American Scientists last year concluded that while North Korea may have produced enough fissile material to build up to 90 nuclear warheads, it had likely assembled closer to 50. North Korea plans to build a third 5,000-tonne Choe Hyon-class destroyer by October next year and is testing cruise and anti-air missiles for those warships. Mr Kim has hailed the development of the naval destroyer, Choe Hyon, as a significant advancement toward his goal of expanding the operational range and preemptive strike capabilities of his nuclear-armed military. State media said the destroyer, which is being prepared to enter active duty next year, is designed to handle various weapons systems, including anti-air and anti-naval weapons, as well as nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles. The North unveiled a second destroyer of the same class in May, but the vessel was damaged during a botched launching ceremony at the northeastern port of Chongjin, prompting an angry reaction from Kim, who called the failure "criminal." The North has said the new destroyer, named Kang Kon, was relaunched in June after repair, but some outside experts have questioned whether the ship is fully operational. During Monday's visit to Nampo, Mr Kim also reviewed North Korean efforts to complete a third destroyer by October, according to KCNA. While inspecting Choe Hyon, he expressed satisfaction with the progress of the warship's weapons tests and its integrated operations system, saying the navy's modernisation and move toward nuclear-capable capabilities are proceeding as planned. He instructed officials to carry out performance tests in October, KCNA reported.
