North Korea Begins Construction of Two New Warships

SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has begun construction on two new warships on the east and west coasts, a U.S. news outlet said Friday, citing satellite imagery.

According to NK News, Planet Labs imagery shows construction under way at the Nampho Shipyard on the west coast as well as at the Chongjin Shipyard on the east coast.

At Nampho, large hull sections have been staged and assembled since early July, with the ship likely to be the North's first 10,000-ton cruiser, though it is too early to determine, the outlet said.

It noted that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stated plans in June to build such cruisers.

The warship under construction at the Chongjin Shipyard, meanwhile, did not appear until mid-August, with satellite imagery showing red ship hull materials being assembled.

Though it is also too early to determine, the ship could be the North's long-planned second destroyer, the fourth of the 5,000-ton class, or a 10,000-ton cruiser, the outlet said.

Upgrades have also been taking place at both shipyards after the North Korean leader declared at a Central Military Commission meeting in July that the military would make technical updates to expand shipyard capacity at all levels, it said.

At both Nampho and Chongjin, dozens of blue-roofed structures have appeared since last month, likely for use as lodgings for construction workers, it said.