Pyongyang, Mar 05 (V7N) – North Korea has demonstrated its military strength by successfully test-firing a cruise missile from a newly built destroyer, state media KCNA reported on Thursday. The test comes amid ongoing global geopolitical tensions.

The new 500-ton destroyer, named “Cho Hyon”, officially embarked from the Nampo Shipyard on the west coast of North Korea on Wednesday. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un personally supervised the missile launch and attended the ship’s inauguration ceremony.

In his address, Kim Jong-un highlighted the importance of modernizing the navy, stating, “Very soon our navy will achieve the ability to strike both from the surface and from the water. The plan we have undertaken to equip the navy with nuclear weapons is progressing positively.”

He further praised the naval achievement as a historic milestone, saying, “This recent success in naval defense has brought about a breakthrough in protecting our maritime sovereignty, which has not been possible even in the past five decades.”

Analysts have warned that North Korea’s latest weapons display could escalate regional tensions, especially given ongoing security concerns in East Asia.

The launch underscores Pyongyang’s continuing push to expand its naval capabilities and assert its military presence on the international stage.

END/SMA/AJ