North Korea Fires First Missile from New Warship

SEOUL, April 30 (Reuters) – North Korea earlier this week conducted the first test-firing of the weapons system of the new “Choe Hyon-class” warship it recently unveiled, state media KCNA reported on Wednesday.

Cruise and anti-air missiles were launched and artillery fired as part of the test-firing attended by leader Kim Jong Un and senior officials, the report said.

The time has come for North Korea’s navy to choose to accelerate nuclear armament for maritime sovereignty and for the sake of national defense, Kim was quoted as saying.

North Korean state media on Saturday revealed the 5,000-tonne warship equipped with the “most powerful weapons.”

Kim, in a speech from the launch reported by KCNA, said the warship would be handed over to the navy and go into service early next year.

The “Choe Hyon-class” ship was named after anti-Japanese revolutionary fighter Choe Hyon, according to KCNA.

(Reporting by Hyunsu Yim; Editing by Leslie Adler and Daniel Wallis)

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