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SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended on Thursday the launching ceremony of a warship that had been damaged upon its first attempt to launch, state media KCNA said on Friday.
Satellite images had shown ongoing repairs of the 5,000-ton destroyer that had partially capsized in May, after Kim called the accident a 鈥渃riminal act鈥� and ordered its restoration before a party meeting in June.
Kim said the restoration of the destroyer 鈥渉ad not delayed鈥� North Korea鈥檚 attempts to enhance naval power, and said plans were in place 鈥渢o build two more 5,000-ton destroyers next year,鈥� KCNA said.
Kim called for the country to strengthen its maritime military presence in the Pacific Ocean in the face of what he said were provocations by the US and its allies, KCNA said.
鈥淪oon, enemies will experience themselves how provocative and unpleasant it is to sit and watch the ships of an adversary run rampant on the fringes of sovereign waters,鈥� Kim said in a speech at the ceremony, according to KCNA.
鈥淚鈥檓 sure that in the near future, the routes of our battleships... will be opened on the Pacific Ocean toward the outposts of aggression.鈥�