Additional Coverage:
- North Korean leader Kim inspects new warship and claims progress toward nuclear-armed navy (nbcnews.com)
Kim Jong Un Boosts Naval Power, Oversees Missile Test on New Destroyer
SEOUL, South Korea – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un recently spent two intensive days inspecting his nation’s newest destroyer, the “Choe Hyon,” ahead of its official commissioning. During this visit, he personally observed a test launch of cruise missiles from the warship and pledged to accelerate the nuclear armament of his navy, according to state media reports released Thursday.
The North’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) detailed Kim’s Tuesday and Wednesday visits to the western Nampo shipyard. Beyond the “Choe Hyon,” he also inspected the ongoing construction of a third destroyer in the same 5,000-ton class, which was first unveiled in April 2025.
Kim has lauded the “Choe Hyon” as a significant stride towards expanding the operational reach and preemptive strike capabilities of North Korea’s nuclear-armed military. State media claims the vessel is engineered to accommodate a diverse array of weapon systems, including anti-air and anti-naval defenses, as well as nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles. While some South Korean military officials and experts suggest Russian assistance likely played a role in its development, given deepening military ties, questions persist regarding its readiness for active service.
It’s worth noting that a second destroyer of this class, unveiled in May of last year and named “Kang Kon,” reportedly sustained damage during a botched launching ceremony at the northeastern port of Chongjin, drawing a “criminal” rebuke from Kim. While North Korea states the “Kang Kon” was relaunched in June after repairs, external experts remain skeptical about its full operational status.
Following the “Choe Hyon’s” sea trials on Tuesday, Kim declared the ship met all operational requirements, hailing it as a testament to the nation’s growing naval prowess. He then issued a directive to construct two new warships annually, of the same or higher class as the “Choe Hyon,” over the next five years.
Kim returned on Wednesday to observe the “Choe Hyon’s” cruise missile test launch. State media released images showing him observing from the shore as multiple projectiles ascended from the vessel in plumes of white smoke. These weapons were explicitly described as “strategic,” a term North Korea reserves for its nuclear-capable systems.
After years prioritizing ballistic missile development, Kim has visibly shifted his focus towards enhancing naval capabilities, including the ongoing construction of a nuclear-powered submarine. KCNA reports that the third destroyer under construction at the Nampo shipyard is projected to be completed by the ruling Workers’ Party’s founding anniversary in October.
Naval capabilities also featured prominently in Kim’s outline of his five-year military objectives at last month’s Workers’ Party congress. These goals included the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of underwater launches.
On Tuesday, Kim asserted that efforts to arm his navy with nuclear weapons were making “satisfactory” progress. He claimed these advancements would “constitute a radical change in defending our maritime sovereignty, something that we have not achieved for half a century.”
KCNA did not offer further clarification on Kim’s statement. However, some analysts speculate that North Korea may be preparing to formally declare a new maritime boundary, potentially encroaching on waters currently controlled by rival South Korea.
As inter-Korean tensions escalate, Kim has repeatedly rejected the Northern Limit Line, a western sea boundary drawn by the U.S.-led U.N. Command at the close of the 1950-53 Korean War. This ambiguously defined boundary has been the scene of several deadly naval skirmishes in recent years.
At the party congress, Kim reaffirmed plans to expand North Korea’s nuclear arsenal, which already includes various weapon systems posing threats to the United States and its Asian allies, and reiterated his hard-line stance towards South Korea.
Despite the heightened rhetoric, he did leave the door open for dialogue with the Trump administration, reiterating Pyongyang’s demand that Washington drop its insistence on denuclearization as a precondition for resuming long-stalled talks.