Kim Jong Un Says North Korea Is Arming Its Navy With Nuclear Weapons

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the country is equipping its navy with nuclear weapons, according to state news agency KCNA. He said the program is moving on schedule and is meant to ensure that North Korea’s nuclear force is ready for a range of effective operations, calling it “a strategic direction of crucial importance.”

Kim made the remarks at the commissioning ceremony for the warship Choe Hyon in the port of Nampo. He also said North Korea plans to build strategic warships weighing 10,000 tons. The statement signals another step in Pyongyang’s effort to expand the role of nuclear weapons across its military forces.