Pyongyang, June 13 (KCNA) -- The unshakable faith and steadfast revolutionary will of the Workers' Party of Korea to firmly defend the lasting growth and prosperity of our great state with its tremendous, matchless and absolute strength are ushering in a shining heyday of the naval forces of the DPRK along with the steady birth of the powerful Juche-type military hardware.

Another multi-mission destroyer, which will firmly guarantee the maritime sovereignty and national interests of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, has greeted the historic moment of recording its sacred name as a defender in the history, demonstrating the invariable will to build a powerful army of our Party aspiring after only advance without tolerating frustration and stagnation under any unfavourable conditions.

A continuous possession of new-type destroyers, which has finally been achieved by the stubborn efforts and unyielding fighting spirit on the sacred journey for the strengthening and development of the Juche-oriented naval forces, serves as a demonstration of the power of indomitable spirit of the workers in the field of the warship-building industry and the great potential power of our state and, at the same time, a matchless step forward in implementing the maritime strategy of the Party Central Committee to reliably defend the security of the country and the world peace.

A ceremony of launching the destroyer of the Navy of the Korean People's Army took place at the Rajin Shipyard on June 12.

Present at the ceremony were senior Party, government and military officials, workers, scientists, technicians and officials in the field of the warship-building industry, officers and men of the KPA Navy, the commanding officers and seamen of the destroyer, teaching staff and students of Kim Jong Suk Naval University, commanding officers of the services and corps-level units of the KPA and leading officials of ministries and national agencies.

The venue of the ceremony, manifesting the lofty ideal and triumphant spirit of Juche Korea progressing to be an advanced maritime power, was full of absolute trust in Comrade Kim Jong Un, who is steadfastly accelerating the historic advance of the revolution in the warship-building industry in the new era, and great pride in and self-respect for the ever-growing inexhaustible strength of our state.

The guard of honour of the KPA Navy solemnly lined up, waiting for the moment of glory.

When the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un arrived at the venue of the ceremony where the latest multi-mission destroyer was moored majestically, all the participants broke into enthusiastic cheers as they accorded the greatest glory and respect to the peerless patriot and ever-victorious brilliant commander who is forcing his way along the untrodden path and thorny path of pioneering for the country's prosperity and the peace of all generations to come with his great strenuous efforts and iron will in order to usher in a great heyday in the building of a maritime power when the cherished desire of the nation with a history spanning 5 000 years would be fulfilled admirably.

There was a ceremony of greeting Kim Jong Un.

He reviewed the colours of honour of the KPA Navy and its guard of honour.

Major commanding officers of the Navy courteously greeted him with boundless reverence for him.

There was a march-past of the guard of honour of the KPA Navy.

Kim Jong Un took the platform followed by senior officials of the Party and government, the commander and other commanding officers of the Navy, commanding officers of the services and corps-level units of the KPA, chief secretaries of the provincial committees of the WPK, officials in the field of munitions industry, and officials and meritorious persons in the field of warship-building.

The national anthem of the DPRK was solemnly played.

Jo Chun Ryong, secretary of the Central Committee of the WPK, delivered a commemorative address.

Expressing his profound emotion about the fact that new-type destroyer No. 2, which will join the front rank of the DPRK's sea defence capabilities thanks to the high revolutionary enthusiasm and strenuous efforts of the workers in the field of the warship-building industry, is to be launched in the blue waters of the East Sea at last and it has become possible to report the result to the plenary meeting of the Party Central Committee, the speaker said that this constitutes a proud and auspicious event which makes it possible to feel that the era, in which the ideal and goal of the DPRK and its growing national power reach the ocean, is really coming closer like the dignified entity of the warship.

Referring to the fact that the new-type multi-mission destroyers, as a leading restraining force for sea defence, are equipped with comprehensive combat capability which was developed and enhanced in our own way to freely move in and out of the East Sea and the Pacific like their yard and make an annihilating, retaliatory strike against the hostile forces, who try to challenge the sovereignty of our state and encroach upon its right to peace and prosperity, wherever they are—coastal waters, ocean or land, he affirmed that today's launching ceremony will demonstrate that the new era of the maritime power aspired by our Party, state and people is an undeniable reality.

Referring to the reality in which an eye-opening event of building two large multi-mission destroyers took place in less than one year and a half under the energetic leadership of Kim Jong Un, who is leading in the van the all-round, rapid and victorious advance of the revolution in national defence industry in the new era, he stressed that the honour of receiving the outstanding and seasoned guidance of the Party Central Committee, which is producing the transformative results of the revolutionary industry one after another to usher in a heyday in the buildup of the self-defensive capabilities, is the inexhaustible strength for creation and miracles being performed in the whole defence industry front, not just the warship-building industry field.

The DPRK's warship-building industry will achieve more remarkable successes as it is led by the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un and has the precious experience and lessons gained in the unyielding struggle, the speaker said, expressing his determination to give fuller play to the staunch spirit of faithfully supporting the ideas and leadership of the great Party Central Committee and to develop greater strength for creation and thereby devote all efforts to the sacred struggle for proudly demonstrating the DPRK, our dignified and powerful country, before the world.

At the ceremony, No Kwang Chol, minister of National Defence of the DPRK, announced an order of the Central Military Commission of the WPK on the grading regulations and naming of the destroyer which was signed by Kim Jong Un and conveyed a certificate of the warship grading and naming to the commander of the East Sea Fleet of the KPA Navy.

According to the order of the Central Military Commission of the WPK, the newly-built destroyer was graded as the Choe Hyon class and named Kang Kon.

Kim Jong Un conferred the ensign of the destroyer Kang Kon on the commanding officers of the East Sea Fleet of the KPA Navy.

Jo Chun Ryong, secretary of the Central Committee of the WPK, cut the rope in token of the ceremony of launching the destroyer.

At that moment, a veil over the warship name was removed with the warship whistle and fireworks were set off and balloons released to decorate the sky beautifully.

Kim Jong Un mounted the destroyer.

The warship, which greeted the moment of honour of undergoing the first inspection by the Supreme Commander, was filled with militant enthusiasm.

After receiving the salute of the captain, Kim Jong Un gave the seamen warm encouragement, going round the stem and quarter deck of the warship.

The memorial relief image of anti-Japanese revolutionary fighter Kang Kon, the first chief of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army, was unveiled on the destroyer.

Kim Jong Un placed a flower before the relief image of Kang Kon, the loyalist who rendered distinguished services for army building, and paid high tribute to him, praying that the youthfulness which the prominent military strategist representing the heroism of the KPA and genuine communist revolutionary devoted to the cause of building a state and founding an army and the strong, brave stamina and precious spirit he demonstrated during the southward advance, would be a propelling power pushing the warship and permanent nutrition of a-match-for-a-hundred combat spirit to encourage the seamen of new generation to record only victorious furrow and inspire the eternal prosperity of the Navy of the DPRK.

He met and encouraged the scientists, technicians and workers in the field of warship-building industry who contributed to the building of the destroyer and its restoration to the original state.

Shaking the hands of each of meritorious persons, Kim Jong Un expressed his heartfelt thanks to the patriotic loyalty and labour feats of them who made a contribution to perfectly implementing the order of the Central Military Commission of the Party by displaying their excellent professional qualifications and abilities with one mind in building a warship of new generation and restoring it.

The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un delivered a commemorative speech.

He said that the grand launching ceremony of destroyer No. 2 shows that the new era of building a fleet, which has raised the anchor of sacred pioneering, is making steady progress and our huge warship-building plans aimed at building the world-level naval capability are being pushed most correctly and quickly. And he expressed his deep thanks to the heroic workers in the field of the warship-building industry, including those of Chongjin and Rajin shipyards, and scientists, technicians and officials of the relevant sector who brought about a very important event which makes people actually feel a change showing the extremely rapid development of our warship-building industry.

There was an absurd twist which impaired the dignity and prestige of the country in a moment due to the sheer irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism, but no obstacle could delay the important course of bolstering up the naval combat power, he said, adding that this is another proof of the power of our mode of revolution and development as nourishment essential for the progress and leap of the warship-building industry.

Saying that we can step up the revolution in the warship-building industry in earnest at present as we have a strong will and have secured our own reliable forces and great technical power to guarantee it practically, he clarified the defence strategy of our Party and practical measures for the rapid strengthening of the naval forces, including the building of two destroyers, which are of or above the Choe Hyon class, and the deployment of them in operational waters every year from next year according to the constant view of our Navy that aggression can be prevented when it has the counterattack strength and capability.

Our cause of ushering in the golden era of the Navy has entered the full-scale stage, he said, expressing expectation and conviction that the workers in the field of the shipbuilding industry would build many large modern warships commensurate with the prestige of a military giant, which have been planned and decided by the Party, by giving fullest play to their boundless loyalty, patriotism, actual ability which cannot be ignored and capacity of tenacious execution, and thus continue to write a new history of the leap forward in the shipbuilding industry.

When he finished his speech, the harbour resounded with the stormy cheers of "Hurrah!" which all the participants full of great excitement and joy raised, being convinced of the bright future of Juche Korea dynamically advancing towards an advanced maritime power in the new century.

He highly praised the heroic feats of Jo Kum Hyok, head of Sheet Metal Processing Workteam No. 1 of the Modernization Workshop under the Chongjin Shipyard who died at the worksite during the building of the destroyer, and met his wife and son to console them.

Kim Jong Un awarded the main commanding officers of the destroyer commemorative copper coins and had a photo taken with the commanding officers and sailors of the destroyer in front of the destroyer Kang Kon, which will be recorded forever in the army-building history.

He expressed his great trust that all the sailors of the destroyer would reliably carry forward the great spirit and indomitable bravery of the army-founding generation, who defended the sovereignty of our DPRK with honour, and thus glorify with brilliant feats the immortal exploits performed by the Navy for the country and its glorious furrow of defence.

All the commanding officers and sailors of the destroyer, who had the highest honour of being inspected and warmly blessed first by the head of state, expressed gratitude to Kim Jong Un, and pledged to fully demonstrate the heroic fighting spirit of the DPRK Navy and firmly defend the territorial waters of the country as they follow the sea route of victory indicated by the Party Central Committee.

He also met the workers, scientists, technicians, skilled workers and officials in the shipbuilding field, including those of Chongjin and Rajin shipyards, who contributed to the building of warships. And he had left a picture of love and trust, expressing expectation that they would launch invincible warships one after another in the sea of the country with more vigorous exertion and unyielding struggle so as to continue to dynamically write a great history of steadily increasing the great power of the Korean People's Army.

A performance was given to celebrate the launch of the destroyer.

The launching ceremony is a powerful demonstration of the prompt decision and will of the WPK to firmly defend national sovereignty, territorial integrity and security interests by rapidly developing the DPRK Navy into a powerful service in charge of part of the state nuclear deterrent, and a momentous occasion of injecting great vitality into the patriotic struggle of our people advancing dynamically towards the future of prosperity with high ambition and ideal.

The fame of the heroic people's navy getting greater day by day along with the glorious Kim Jong Un’s era will shine brilliantly as a symbol of the bravery and victory of indomitable socialist Korea, and the combat power extending to the vast ocean will demonstrate before the whole world its dignity and might as the treasured sword for defending justice and peace. -0-