North Korea's new 5,000-ton-class destroyer Gang Geon-ho has begun full-fledged missions. Kim Jong-un, who attended the commissioning ceremony, emphasized nuclear armament of the navy and said he would unveil an "important plan" for strengthening naval power in eight months.
On the 7th, the Korean Central News Agency reported that a commissioning ceremony for Gang Geon-ho was held at Wonsan Port the previous day with the attendance of the Chairperson Kim.
In a speech at the commissioning ceremony, the Chairperson Kim said, "The destroyer Gang Geon-ho is, before being a collection of our economy, defense, and science and technology, the pride and will of Korea to defend its own rights and interests, and the crystallization of a strong spirit."
He went on, "The safety of our state is under constant and direct threat, and among them, the East Sea of Korea and adjacent waters rank first."
The Chairperson Kim assessed that although Choe Hyon-ho, delivered to the West Sea Fleet in June, and Gang Geon-ho are identical in class and weapons systems, the commissioning of Gang Geon-ho carries greater significance.
The Chairperson said, "The fact that Gang Geon-ho is formally commissioned into the East Sea maritime force group, and the information that naval bases are being built on the East Sea, sends a clear signal to the enemies," adding, "Now it is time to exercise our sovereignty properly at sea and underwater. We will exercise our legitimate right to self-defense and respond as much as necessary."
He again stressed nuclear armament of the navy.
The Chairperson Kim emphasized, "As the nuclear armament of our navy is realized, it is becoming more suited, diversified, and practical for the use of deterrence," and "We must make the multidirectional and effective operation of nuclear combat systems more concrete by clarifying strong and reliable nuclear war deterrence, and make military activities for maritime defense and war deterrence more explicit."
He also hinted at additional plans to strengthen naval power. The Chairperson Kim noted, "We are now implementing an important plan to strengthen naval forces. I will once again prove it to the world in eight months."
However, the Chairperson Kim did not specify what exactly the "important plan" means.
After the speech, the Chairperson Kim boarded Gang Geon-ho to encourage the service members and took commemorative photos. In photos released by North Korean media, Kim's wife Ri Sol-ju and daughter Ju-ae also appeared.
Gang Geon-ho experienced an accident during its launching ceremony in May last year in which the hull listed and toppled. At the time, as the accident occurred while floating the vessel, questions were raised about whether normal operation would be possible.
North Korea recovered the vessel from the water and held the launching ceremony again 22 days after the accident. Although speculation continued over whether it would operate normally, on the 5th of last month, as the Chairperson Kim observed tests of key weapons systems such as missiles mounted on Gang Geon-ho, some analysts said there was a strong possibility it would be commissioned around the Sept. 9 founding day.