Jeongjo The Great destroyer / Yonhap

Korea on Thursday launched a new 8,200-ton destroyer armed with a missile interception platform and stronger anti-submarine capabilities, the Navy said, as the country pushes to bolster defense against North Korea's evolving military capabilities.

The ceremony for the Jeongjo The Great destroyer, named after a visionary king of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), took place at the shipyard of Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan, some 410 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

The Aegis-equipped destroyer is the first warship built as part of Seoul's acquisition program, code-named Gwanggaeto-III Batch-II, under which the country plans to procure three high-tech destroyers. It is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy in late 2024

Some 150 people, including senior government, military and industry officials, joined the launch ceremony.

"As a symbol of the efforts to build a strong, high-tech ocean-going Navy and a national strategic asset, the 8,200-ton destroyer is expected to further boost the Navy's combat capabilities," the Navy said in a press release.