Kim Jong-un joined by teen daughter as he vows to build chilling nuclear-armed navy

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to accelerate his country’s efforts to build a nuclear-armed navy, state media said on Saturday. Kim Jong Un observed sea trials of a new warship repair alongside his teenage daughter believed to be named Kim Ju Ae, South Korean officials say the 13-year-old may be being groomed as his successor.

He visited the 5,000-ton destroyer Kang Kon on Thursday as it underwent capability tests. The North Korean dictator is believed to have stressed the need to rapidly strengthen his country’s naval capabilities so they can play a greater role in the country’s nuclear deterrence strategy. He believes these abilities can help North Korea provide a “deadly blow at the enemy any moment under the water or on the water, according to North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The dictator added that naval modernisation is a central pillar of a new five-year defense plan approved at a ruling party congress earlier this year, which includes building larger 10,000-ton-class destroyers and developing unspecified “underwater secret weapons”, reports KCNA.

This marks the first time ​North Korea has mentioned a plan to build a 10,000-ton destroyer, said Hong Min, ​a senior analyst at South Korea’s Institute for National Unification.

Hony said Kim Jong Un appears to be highlighting North Korea’s military strength ahead of Xi’s visit on Monday.

Xi is visiting North Korea for the first time in nearly seven years as Beijing moves to reaffirm and strengthen ties with Pyongyang, its only formal treaty ally.

It is widely believed that Kim Jong Un will seek an increase in trade over the land border and more Chinese tourists to fill its newly built beach and ski resorts.

Last year, he was reportedly furious after a failed launching ceremony for the destroyer Kang Kon, which was damaged in the process.

Calling the failure “criminal” the 5,000-ton-class destroyer was damaged when a transport cradle on the ship’s stern detached early.

Satellite imagery of the site showed the vessel lying on its side, covered in blue tarpaulins, with parts of it submerged.