North Korean officials and shipyard workers pledged to complete the construction of a new navy destroyer, the third Choe Hyon-class ship, by October 10 next year, state news agency KCNA reported on Tuesday.
"The workers, engineers, and officials of the Nampo Shipyard, which is a reliable large-scale shipbuilding base and is honored for its tradition and power of self-reliance, have resolved to build another new destroyer by October 10, 2026, with the momentum and spirit of opening a breakthrough in the historic cause of rapidly emerging Korea as a maritime power in the 21st century with the excellent construction of the first multi-purpose destroyer of the new generation," said KCNA.
"The meeting place was filled with the high revolutionary enthusiasm of the shipyard workers who would uphold the unwavering determination and will of the Party Central Committee to firmly defend the maritime sovereignty and national interests of the sacred Democratic People's Republic of Korea through the inexhaustible strength of naval power through the powerful construction of ships in our style."
Cho Chun-ryong, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, officials of relevant departments, workers and engineers of Nampo Shipyard and the shipbuilding industry sector participated in the meeting.
"[Comrade Yoon Chi-gul, Manager, Nampo Shipyard] spoke of the pride of the workers of Nampo Shipyard, which honorably implemented the decision of the Party Central Committee and built the first multi-purpose destroyer of the Republic with honour," added KCNA.
"He emphasised that the new destroyer, which was born as a creation symbolising the strength and spirit of Joseon, was a noble child of the shipbuilding industry revolution that reminded him of the iron faith, will, and outstanding resourcefulness of Comrade Kim Jong Un, who visited the Nampo Shipyard 10 times in just over a year and gave him valuable teachings on shipbuilding and gave him infinite wisdom and power in the creation of miracles."
(Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by Chris Reese)