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Summary:
- Satellite images show North Korea is constructing what could be its most advanced and largest warship to date, estimated at 140 meters in length.
- The vessel, believed to be a guided-missile frigate, may feature vertical launch systems and phased-array radar capabilities.
- The ship’s development comes amid deepening military cooperation with Russia and intensified U.S.-China tensions.
- Experts question whether North Korea can operationalize such a vessel due to technological, logistical, and economic constraints.
News in Detail:
Newly released satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies and Planet Labs reveals that North Korea is in the advanced stages of constructing what could be its largest and most modern warship ever at the Nampo shipyard, southwest of Pyongyang. Analysts believe the ship, estimated at 140 meters (459 feet), is a guided-missile frigate (FFG) that could significantly expand the firepower and technological reach of the isolated nation’s naval forces.
According to analysts Joseph Bermudez Jr. and Jennifer Jun from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the warship could feature vertical launch missile tubes and phased-array radar, bringing North Korea’s surface combatant capabilities closer in line with modern navies. For comparison, the U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class destroyers measure about 505 feet in length.
Despite its scale and ambition, the warship project underscores several paradoxes in North Korea’s military modernization push. While Pyongyang has historically been hamstrung by United Nations sanctions that restrict access to advanced technology and materials, recent closer ties with Russia—especially since the war in Ukraine—may be helping the regime access critical systems needed to build advanced weaponry.
Retired South Korean Admiral Kim Duk-ki speculated that Moscow may be supplying missile systems or technology for the warship. If true, this could represent a strategic military upgrade for North Korea and a worrying shift for regional powers like South Korea and Japan.
North Korean state media had previously teased the warship’s construction, releasing footage of Kim Jong Un inspecting the vessel late last year. The visuals, broadcast by Korean Central Television (KCTV), revealed features typically associated with modern warships, including vertical missile cells and advanced radar installations.
Still, several analysts advise caution. Carl Schuster, a former U.S. Navy captain, noted that constructing a modern hull is far easier than successfully integrating sophisticated systems such as communications, sensors, and weaponry. These systems are essential for turning a large ship into a capable warfighting asset.
Further doubts come from within South Korea’s political circles. Kim Byung-kee, a member of South Korea’s National Assembly Intelligence Committee, questioned Pyongyang’s ability to finance, staff, and operate such a complex platform. “It’s not just about building the ship,” he said. “It’s about maintaining and deploying it as part of a capable fleet.”
According to the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), North Korea maintains around 400 patrol boats and 70 submarines, but most are small and outdated. The country’s only existing principal surface combatants are two Najin-class frigates from the 1970s, considered obsolete by modern standards.
Nonetheless, Kim Jong Un has made naval modernization a clear priority. In addition to the frigate under construction in Nampo, satellite and intelligence reports suggest a nuclear-powered submarine is being developed in Sinpo, and another destroyer-class warship may be underway in Chongjin.
In a telling sign of North Korea’s maritime ambitions, Kim in September 2024 inspected the site of a new naval port, stating that large surface vessels and submarines now “require new facilities for anchorage and operations.” This expansion signals Pyongyang’s intent to play a more assertive role in the Asia-Pacific naval theater, despite international sanctions and persistent questions about its capacity.
The warship, still under construction, is expected to take at least another year before it reaches sea trial stages. “This ship’s construction is being delayed by the lack of the superstructure, sensor, and weapons systems intended for installation,” said Schuster.
If operationalized, especially with hypersonic missile capabilities—which North Korea claims to have tested in January—the frigate could become a game-changer in the regional security balance. It would mark a significant evolution in North Korea’s naval doctrine, from coastal defense to blue-water ambitions, potentially complicating U.S. and allied strategies in the Indo-Pacific.
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