North Korea's Naval Push
Kim Jong-un Inspects New Destroyer, Urges Stronger Navy and Nuclear Deterrent Role
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected and attended sea trials and a navigation test aboard the 5,000-ton destroyer Kang Kon, emphasizing the need to rapidly strengthen the navy’s combat capabilities and nuclear deterrent role ahead of Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s scheduled visit. According to state media, Kim said the country’s five-year defense plan prioritizes building naval forces that can strike “underwater or on the surface” and support nuclear deterrence, including development of “secret underwater weapons” and plans for larger 10,000-ton destroyers. He ordered that the Choe Hyon and Kang Kon destroyers be commissioned as soon as possible and expressed confidence that modernization targets would be met by defense industry workers and scientists. The Kang Kon’s troubled service history—partially capsizing and sustaining damage during its initial launch attempt—was cited as the reason it underwent repairs at a dry dock shipyard before being relaunched, with photos showing Kim’s daughter Ju-ae accompanying him during the inspection.
Key Points
Kim Jong-un praised the crew and said he was satisfied with the Kang Kon’s navigation system and its “high-speed maneuverability,” framing the inspection not only as a capability test but also as validation of operational performance.
Kim said North Korea should refine the warship’s control system in its “own way,” explicitly citing the need to consider global shipbuilding industry development trends and warship design characteristics to meet Navy combat-mission requirements.
North Korea also launched the 5,000-ton Choe Hyon destroyer in April of the previous year, and it is “named after a late anti-Japanese fighter,” linking the new warship program to historical symbolism as well as military modernization.
Analysts cited in coverage of the lead-up to Xi Jinping’s visit described Kim’s hosting of Xi as a diplomatic “win” for Pyongyang: Seong-Hyon Lee said Xi appears keen to reinforce China’s role on the Korean Peninsula after talks with U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, while another analyst said the visit underlines North Korea’s importance to Beijing.
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