North Korea starts building two major warships on opposite coasts

Recent Planet Labs satellite imagery reveals North Korea is building two large warships on its eastern and western seaboards. At the Nampho Shipyard on the west coast, sizable hull sections have been staged since early July and appear to constitute the regime's first 10,000-ton cruiser, a project Kim Jong-un referenced in June. Meanwhile, the Chongjin Shipyard on the east coast displayed new red hull material from mid-August, which could be the long-planned second destroyer of the 5,000-ton class or another 10,000-ton cruiser.

Both facilities have seen dozens of new blue-roofed structures, likely serving as accommodation for construction crews. These additions follow a Central Military Commission meeting in July where Kim Jong-un ordered technical upgrades to expand shipyard capacity at all levels. The dual-coast construction points to a notable expansion of North Korea's naval capabilities.