Friday’s drills from the repaired Kang Kon included a strategic cruise missile launch, main-gun and automatic-cannon fire, and tests of electronic warfare, target-detection and information-processing systems, state media said.
Kim watched from shore and ordered officials to finish the 5,000-ton destroyer’s trials and place it on active duty within two months.
The display extends North Korea’s recent naval buildup after it commissioned its first 5,000-ton destroyer, the Choe Hyon, in late June and declared the navy’s nuclear armament was on track.
The Kang Kon had been damaged in a botched May 2025 launch and relaunched after repairs in June, though outside analysts still question whether the ship is ready for effective service.
Kim is shifting from a long focus on ballistic missiles toward a nuclear-armed navy, calling for a nuclear-powered submarine, underwater-launch ICBMs and two new 5,000-ton warships a year.
Is North Korea's Russian-backed naval expansion making traditional maritime deterrence obsolete?
How is a sanctions-crippled nation funding a naval buildup that rivals a superpower's production rate?
North Korea’s Kang Kon Destroyer: Accelerated Commissioning, Nuclear Ambitions, and Northeast Asia’s Security Dilemma
Overview
North Korea’s 5,000-ton Kang Kon destroyer, unveiled in May 2025 after the Choe Hyon destroyer, is being rushed into service under Kim Jong Un’s directive to quickly build a maritime nuclear deterrence. Despite technical uncertainties, a failed initial launch, and international skepticism about its combat effectiveness, Pyongyang is pushing forward to strengthen its naval power. This move reflects North Korea’s determination to overcome geopolitical isolation and signals a strategic shift that raises regional security concerns, as the Kang Kon’s deployment could complicate allied defense planning and increase instability in Northeast Asia.