North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected naval projects at the Nampho Dockyard on the west coast, according to state media on Friday, calling warship construction key to the country’s ongoing “war preparations.”

Kim’s visit to the facility located near the DPRK’s busiest seaport comes after he declared a major policy change last month on the country’s official boundaries, leading some experts to worry North Korea may deploy naval assets to enforce old territorial claims surrounding South Korean islands off the west coast. 

“Strengthening naval power to protect maritime sovereignty and push war preparation is the most important issue today,”