North Korea builds largest warship yet to boost military power
Satellite images have detected the construction of North Korea's largest military vessel. This ship may be more than twice the size of those currently possessed by Pyongyang. What else is known about this mysterious frigate?
What do you need to know?
- Where and when were the images taken? Satellite images were taken on April 6 by Maxar Technologies and Planet Labs, an American company specializing in Earth observation from space. The photographs captured the construction of the vessel at the Nampo shipyard, located 37 miles from North Korea's capital, Pyongyang.
- What are the features of the new vessel? The frigate is about 459 feet long and is equipped with vertical missile launchers, making it the largest warship in North Korea.
- Why is the construction of the vessel important? The construction aligns with Kim Jong Un's efforts to modernize the armed forces, despite international sanctions.
What are the construction details of the vessel?
Satellite images from April 6 show ongoing construction of North Korea's largest warship at the Nampo shipyard. Analysts from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Joseph Bermudez Jr. and Jennifer Jun, report that the frigate is about 459 feet long, making it the largest ship in the country's history.
What technologies were used on the new frigate?
The new frigate is equipped with vertical missile launchers, allowing it to attack land and sea targets. Experts note that the vessel has a modern radar system that enables faster and more accurate target tracking. This is a significant step in modernizing North Korea's fleet.
What are Kim Jong Un's goals?
The construction of the ship comes as no surprise. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is ambitiously working to strengthen and modernize his armed forces. This is occurring despite Western sanctions imposed on Pyongyang since 2006 due to the country's nuclear program.
The North Korean dictator is strengthening ties with Russia, which helps him achieve his military goals. Additionally, North Korea has sent its soldiers to the conflict region between Moscow and Kyiv, further indicating cooperation between Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin.
The collaboration between Russia and North Korea since the start of the war in Ukraine aids in bypassing restrictions. Kim Duk-ki, a retired South Korean admiral, believes that Moscow can provide the technology needed to construct the missile systems of the new frigate.
