Kim Jong Un oversees Kang Kon weapons tests after failed launch repair

Seoul,UPDATED: Jul 5, 2026 06:26 IST

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised weapons tests on the Kang Kon, a new 5,000-tonne destroyer that state media said had been repaired after being damaged in a failed launch ceremony. The tests were the latest public display of Kim's push to build a navy armed with nuclear-capable weapons.

State media said the tests included a strategic cruise missile and the destroyer's main gun and automatic cannons, along with checks of its electronic warfare systems and its ability to detect targets and process information. After watching from shore, Kim ordered officials to complete the ship's trials and place it in active service within two months.

The official Korean Central News Agency said Friday's event came after North Korea commissioned its first 5,000-tonne destroyer, the Choe Hyon, in late June. At that ceremony, Kim said the nuclear armament of his navy was proceeding as planned.

After years of focusing on ballistic missile development, Kim has increasingly turned his attention to naval capabilities, including the construction of a nuclear-powered submarine. While outlining his five-year military goals at the Workers' Party congress in February, he also called for intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of underwater launches.

North Korea first unveiled the Choe Hyon in April 2025, which Kim described as a major step towards expanding his military's operational reach and pre-emptive strike capabilities. KCNA has said the warship is equipped with anti-aircraft and anti-ship weapons as well as 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, though some analysts have questioned how effective it 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. North Korea later said the ship was relaunched in June after repairs, though outside experts have questioned whether it is genuinely ready for active duty. Kim has also called for building two new 5,000-tonne warships every year over the next five years, along with a larger 10,000-tonne destroyer.

The latest tests of the Kang Kon underlined North Korea's effort to strengthen its naval force with nuclear-capable weapons, as Kim pressed for the ship to complete trials quickly and join active service within two months.

With PTI Inputs

- Ends