Kim Jong Un celebrated “Navy Day” last month by promising nuclear weapons for the naval forces of the Korean People’s Army (KPAN), reportedly emphasizing the need for greater readiness at sea and a greater role for the navy in overall strategies and operations.

The visit to the KPAN headquarters came as North Korea has increasingly focused on naval modernization in recent months. Kim inspected the country’s newest naval corvette and oversaw a cruise missile launch from the vessel, and he toured a machine factory that plays an important role in shipbuilding.

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