uncritical support for the DPRK in its heroic struggle to liberate occupied Korea from the genocidal American empire

It's got AESA radars? I guess we're starting to see some of what North Korea got in exchange for their support of Russia during the Russia-Ukraine war, technology exchange.

Those very large ten vertical launch systems (VLS) at the back are probably for ballistic missiles like the KN-23, which has seen extensive use by Russia in their war against Ukraine. They could be nuclear tipped, along with some of the longer range cruise missiles in the other VLS pods.

Like the submarines they've also recently unveiled, survivability in an actual conflict against South Korea and/or the USA is a key issue and likely not very high, these kind of assets are the first thing that gets targeted in an actual war. The main deterrence value of these assets is them getting a shot off, potentially a nuclear one, before getting targeted. They'd need a much larger fleet of them, with advanced air defence systems on these ships themselves (or supporting vessels) capable of targeting both stealthy subsonic cruise (JASSM/LRASM) and high speed supersonic (SM-6, Mach 3.5 top speed) missiles to survive. I guess that's what the AESA radar and smaller VLS pods are for.

i really like the paint job

Interesting that this warship only weighs 2500 times more than the goddamn portable air conditioner i had to drag up 3 flights of stairs this morning

post ww2 naval classification is so wack, destroyers are like everything that doesnt have aircraft, and even then some have helipads

With DPRK as a global pariah it actually makes more sense as a potential source of exporting revolution than China does, because of how much China has to lose and how incompatible that is with their strategy of supporting sovereignty in order to gain friends and partners against the US.

The occupation of Korea needs to end first of course, but I have this sort of fantasy that they would start supporting socialists abroad after resolving affairs on the peninsula.

no more half measures walter

What I think is interesting about this article (and another related KCNA article) is that there are a few quotes in it which imply that the ship is capable of carrying a nuclear weapon. It's good that DPRK is increasing their ability to defend themselves.

"With this as a momentum, our Navy has secured its place as a powerful service responsible for one of the country's independent defence capabilities. In particular, as part of the nuclear war deterrent, it can enhance its position in the realm of nuclear use. This has resulted in the Navy growing more adaptable to the use of war deterrent."

"The present security environment for our state is very serious and the situation demands that we effect a drastic and rapid change in the existing military theories and practices and expand our nuclear armaments radically."

"We will continue to make steady efforts, full of redoubled self-confidence, to further round off the nuclear defence posture based on the strong counterattack capability everywhere in the sky, on the land and on the sea and, by dint of overwhelming strength, thoroughly deter various military activities of the enemies that constantly deploy huge strategic assets, posing serious threats to the sovereignty and interests of our state."

"Today's ceremony of launching a new-type destroyer will serve as a signal flare for strengthening the Navy of the DPRK. And the second signal flare will be just the building of a nuclear-powered submarine."

http://kcna.kp/en/article/q/aaeed682a4cba15d70ede85a48bf38a1.kcmsf

https://archive.is/prSSR

The fact that Kim only brings his daughter to these events proves that the war on men is global.

Here are 64 images from the article mirrored if the KCNA article doesn't load for you.

Did they MS Paint over that ship to hide what it actually looks like