North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reportedly inspected a shipyard in Nampo, where he underscored the importance of a strong naval force in war preparations.

According to the North’s state-run Korean Central News Agency(KCNA) on Friday, Kim stressed the importance of strengthening the naval force during the visit, considering it a key aspect of advancing war preparations.

Kim received a detailed report on the progress in warship construction and the preparations for a significant new project mandated by the 8th Congress of the Workers' Party. He also issued instructions to ensure the timely completion of the planned vessels within a five-year timeframe.

Describing the Nampo Shipyard as the nation's most reliable large-scale military shipbuilding facility, Kim expressed expectations that it will successfully build the pivotal warships to a world-class standard in alignment with the party's strategic plans.

Situated in South Pyongan Province off the Yellow Sea, the Nampo Shipyard was previously identified as the location where barges used for underwater launch tests of submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) were constructed.

At the 8th Party Congress in January 2021, North Korea announced a five-year plan and outlined five major tasks for defense development. This included the acquisition of nuclear submarines and the development of underwater-launched nuclear strategic weapons.