North Korea has unveiled a brand new destroyer capable of carrying nuclear missiles, as Kim Jong-un looks to assert his country’s dominance at sea.
The Kang Kon, a 5,000-ton guided-missile destroyer, is the country’s second warship in the class and can carry both conventional and nuclear weapons, according to state media.
The ship has been commissioned into the North Korean navy, a year after it capsized on its first attempted launch.
At the time, Kim called the botched launch a “criminal act” that had damaged his country’s “dignity”.
Kim Jong-un’s focus has shifted from missile development to a modernisation of the navy – KCNA/Reuters
On Monday, Kim said that the vessel would be part of Pyongyang’s nuclear response system and could deliver “annihilating retaliatory strikes”.
The regime claimed to have test-fired nuclear-capable cruise missiles from the Kang Kon in July.
The Kang Kon is North Korea’s second warship to enter service, after the Choe Hyon, also capable of carrying 5,000 tons, was commissioned in June.
The Kang Kon on its side after capsizing in May 2025 – Planet Labs PBC/Reuters
While the exact specifications of the latest destroyer have not yet been revealed, state media said that it would carry the same systems as the Choe Hyon, which has 88 vertical launch cells for both surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles, and is capable of carrying a nuclear payload.
The commissioning of the new warship is the latest indication that Kim has shifted focus towards modernising his navy, after focusing for years on missile development.
On board the ship at the launch ceremony, Kim acknowledged that the North Korean navy had previously lacked the warships needed for defence and deterrence.
However, he said, the Kang Kon would usher in “a new stirring heyday” and accelerate the development of the navy “beyond precedent”.
“Concerns of the enemies will be surely deepened,” Kim said.
“We must establish more clearly a powerful and reliable nuclear war deterrent, to put into practice the diverse and effective operation of our nuclear combat systems and further strengthen our military activities for maritime defence and war deterrence.”
Kim and his daughter wave at naval officers from the deck of the Kang Kon – KCNA/Reuters
Kim admitted his navy had lacked the warships it needed until a few years ago, after years of prioritising ballistic missile development.
International experts said the destroyer’s weapons and radar systems would enhance its offensive and defensive capabilities.
Kim also said that his country had another important naval development on its way, which would be revealed in eight months.
He might have been referring to a new nuclear-powered attack submarine, which Kim was photographed inspecting last December. It is believed to rival the US navy’s attack submarines in size.
Kim attended the unveiling ceremony with Kim Ju-ae, his teenage daughter and heir apparent, who was dressed all in white.
Kim Ju-ae (left) appears to have been groomed to become her father’s successor – KCNA/AFP
She accompanied her father on the red carpet leading to the ship and stood next to him as he was photographed saluting his troops.
South Korea has said that Kim appears to be grooming Ju-ae to be his successor, as she has become an increasingly common presence at public events.
Last month, Donald Trump scaled back US-South Korean joint military exercises, claiming they sent a “totally inappropriate and hostile” message to the North.
But Kim Yo-jong, Kim’s sister and a senior official within the regime, said that the downgrade would not change the drill’s “provocative and aggressive nature”.
Despite Mr Trump’s stance, the US began another military exercise with Japan and South Korea on Monday morning, which will involve the deployment of large-scale maritime and air systems.