Kim Jong Un calls for North Korea’s navy to become part of its nuclear deterrent

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the country’s navy should be developed into part of its nuclear deterrent, in remarks reported by state media and highlighted during a shipyard inspection that underlined Pyongyang’s military ambitions, according to Bloomberg and KCNA. The comments came as Kim continued to push for a broader modernization of North Korea’s armed forces and ahead of an expected visit next week by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Bloomberg reported.

According to KCNA, Kim said the navy must become a force capable of taking charge of part of the country’s nuclear war deterrent plans. Bloomberg reported that he made the comments while inspecting a ship, using the visit to signal that North Korea sees its naval forces as part of a wider strategic weapons posture.

The announcement fits a pattern of North Korean statements tying military upgrades to nuclear strategy. In recent months, North Korean officials have repeatedly justified expanding the country’s nuclear arsenal and delivery systems as a response to U.S. and allied military activity, including the deployment of an American aircraft carrier to South Korea, according to the Arms Control Association. That reporting also noted North Korea’s ongoing work on submarine-launched ballistic missiles and a nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine.

North Korea’s navy has long lagged behind those of the United States and South Korea in conventional strength, but Kim’s remarks suggest Pyongyang wants it to play a more direct role in deterrence. Analysts have previously said the country’s submarine and shipbuilding programs could be intended to complicate an adversary’s defenses and expand the range of platforms that could support nuclear delivery, according to the Arms Control Association and the National Committee on North Korea.

The timing is also significant because of the expected visit by Xi, which would make this one of the latest signals by Kim of North Korea’s continued emphasis on military power and strategic autonomy. China remains North Korea’s most important economic and diplomatic backer, and Beijing has often called for stability on the Korean Peninsula even as Pyongyang advances its weapons programs.

The remarks are likely to add to regional concern over North Korea’s trajectory, especially because they point not just to more weapons, but to a broader effort to integrate nuclear capabilities across multiple branches of the military. That would potentially give Pyongyang more ways to threaten retaliation and strengthen what it describes as deterrence, while also raising questions for South Korea, Japan and the United States about how to respond.