North Korea conducts first test firing of its new warship s weapons system

SEOUL - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered navy vessels to be speedily armed with nuclear weapons, state media reported on April 30, as Pyongyang conducted its first test-firing of a new warship weapons system.

This weekend, Pyongyang had unveiled its new warship, a 5,000-ton destroyer-class vessel named Choe Hyon, which some analysts said was likely to be equipped with short-range tactical nuclear missiles.

Mr Kim oversaw the first day of a two-day weapons test of the destroyer, the official Korean Central News Agency said.

He then ordered officials to work on “accelerating the nuclear armament of the navy”, it added.

North Korea has previously said the vessel was equipped with the “most powerful weapons”, and that it would “enter into operation early next year”.

Experts have said that given its size, the warship is believed to carry both ship-to-surface and ship-to-air missiles.

KCNA said April 29’s test was of “ship-to-ship tactical guided weapon, various kinds of ship-based automatic guns and smoke and electronic jamming guns,” involving the newly unveiled vessel.

The news agency said Pyongyang also tested its “supersonic cruise missile, strategic cruise missile, anti-aircraft missile and 127 mm ship-based automatic gun” on Monday.

Mr Kim said the country’s ship-based firepower system was “effectively combined” with the “most powerful strike means including supersonic cruise missile, strategic cruise missile and tactical ballistic missile”.

Seoul’s defence ministry said it was “closely tracking and monitoring the North Korean military’s shipbuilding and development trends,” in cooperation with the United States.

Pyongyang’s announcement came days after it confirmed for the first time it had deployed troops to Russia to support Moscow in its war in Ukraine.

Moscow also said on April 26 that North Korean soldiers “provided significant assistance in defeating the group of Ukrainian armed forces”.

Some analysts say Pyongyang appears