North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw weapons tests, including a nuclear-capable cruise missile, from the country’s new 5,000-ton destroyer Kang Kon, state media reported Sunday. The vessel had been repaired after sustaining damage during a failed launch ceremony last year, and the latest drills underscored Kim’s continued drive to develop a nuclear-armed navy.
According to the official Korean Central News Agency, Friday’s demonstrations featured the launch of a strategic cruise missile, firing tests of the Kang Kon’s main gun and automatic cannons, and evaluations of the ship’s electronic warfare systems, target-detection functions and information-processing capabilities.
Kim watched the exercises from the shore and instructed officials to finish the destroyer’s remaining trials and bring it into active service within two months, KCNA said.
The tests followed North Korea’s late-June commissioning of its first 5,000-ton destroyer, the Choe Hyon, a landmark event Kim celebrated with an elaborate ceremony in which he said the navy’s nuclear armament program was advancing according to plan.
After spending years emphasizing ballistic missile development, Kim has increasingly shifted attention toward strengthening naval power, including plans to build a nuclear-powered submarine.
When presenting his five-year military objectives at the Workers’ Party congress in February, Kim also called for intercontinental ballistic missiles designed to be launched from underwater platforms.
North Korea first revealed the Choe Hyon in April 2025, with Kim describing the warship as an important advance in extending the military’s operational range and preemptive strike capacity.
KCNA has reported that the ship carries multiple weapons systems, including anti-aircraft and anti-ship capabilities, along with nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles.
South Korean officials and experts say the vessel was likely built with Russian assistance amid deepening military ties between the countries, but some analysts have questioned how effective the vessel would be in active service.
The Kang Kon was unveiled a month after the Choe Hyon in May 2025, but it was damaged during a botched launch at the northern port of Chongjin, prompting a furious response from Kim. The country later said the ship was relaunched in June after repairs, but outside experts have questioned whether it’s genuinely ready for active duty.
Kim has also called for building two new 5,000-ton warships annually over the next five years, as well as developing a larger 10,000-ton destroyer.
