North Korea says it has repaired its damaged second destroyer and launched it into the water in the presence of leader Kim Jong Un.

North Korea says it has repaired and relaunched a naval destroyer that capsized during a failed launch attempt, but defense experts remain skeptical about the regime’s claim of a quick recovery.

North Korea says it has repaired its damaged second destroyer and launched it into the water in the presence of leader Kim Jong Un

The 30-minute call comes as Lee, a liberal from South Korea's Democratic Party, seeks to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula. North-South relations are at their most strained in decades amid Kim's frequent ballistic missile tests and North Korean troop deployments to support Russia's war against Ukraine.

The nuclear energy agency noted the construction of a site similar to current plants, as Kim Jong-un has been pushing to produce more fuel for nuclear bombs.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said in a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin that his country will always stand with Moscow, state media reported on Thursday.

Ukraine intelligence confirms Russia enhanced North Korean missiles to deadly accuracy while Pyongyang supplies troops and weapons, raising nuclear concerns.

North Koreans are "not interested" in entering the country, according to a commentary published by state media.