During the launch ceremony the previous day, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to rapidly strengthen the country's navy by building two destroyers per year to deter aggression, with the third and fourth ships of the new Choe Hyon class planned for 2026.

SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected military industrial factories, calling them to expand production of shells that meet modern warfare needs, state media KCNA said on Saturday.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called for expanding the production of a new type of artillery shell for modern warfare, Pyongyang's state media reported Saturday, amid deepening military cooperation between the North and Russia.