Seoul, September 2026 : North Korea has commissioned its new 5,000-ton naval destroyer Kang Kon, state media reported on Monday, as leader Kim Jong-un steps up efforts to modernise the country’s naval forces and strengthen their ability to conduct combat operations involving nuclear-capable strategic weapons.
Kim attended the commissioning ceremony held on Sunday at the eastern port city of Wonsan, where he described the newly built warship as “essentially an offensive destroyer” and an important component of North Korea’s “state nuclear counteraction system,” according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), as reported by Yonhap News Agency.
“The new-generation destroyer should deal a deadly retaliatory blow at the enemies as it is a force involved in the state nuclear counteraction system,” KCNA quoted Kim as saying during the ceremony.
The North Korean leader stressed that Pyongyang must develop its naval forces into a “nuclear-armed force”, arguing that such a capability would enable the country to more effectively conduct maritime defence and strengthen its deterrence against potential adversaries.
Kim also pledged to continue expanding North Korea’s naval capabilities and deploying increasingly advanced strategic weapons. He said Pyongyang was implementing what he described as an important plan to strengthen the navy and indicated that a major development could be unveiled within months.
“We are in the process of implementing an important plan to bolster our navy forces, and I will prove it to the world eight months from now,” Kim said, without providing details about the nature of the plan.
The announcement could be linked to North Korea’s longstanding efforts to develop nuclear-powered submarines. Pyongyang publicly unveiled plans for such submarines during a major Workers’ Party congress in January 2021.
North Korean state media released photographs in December 2025 showing Kim inspecting the hull of an 8,700-ton-class nuclear-propelled submarine under development. At the time, Kim criticised South Korea’s plans to develop a nuclear-powered submarine, describing the project as a security threat that North Korea would have to counter.
According to KCNA, the Kang Kon will be assigned to the North Korean Navy’s East Sea Fleet, where it will carry out what Pyongyang described as the mission of protecting the country’s maritime sovereignty and supporting its nuclear deterrent. The report used North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
Images released by state media showed Kim attending the ceremony alongside his wife, Ri Sol-ju, and his daughter, Ju-ae.
The commissioning of the Kang Kon comes less than three months after North Korea introduced its first 5,000-ton destroyer, the Choe Hyon. That vessel was assigned to the West Sea and was described by Pyongyang as having an “honourable mission” to defend the country’s maritime interests and strengthen war deterrence.
The Kang Kon’s development was reportedly complicated by an accident during its initial launch attempt. The vessel capsized during a failed launch in May last year before being successfully launched approximately a month later.
In July, North Korea said it had conducted test-firings of strategic cruise missiles and other weapons from the Kang Kon into the East Sea. Kim personally oversaw those drills and subsequently ordered that the destroyer be formally commissioned into the Navy within two months.
North Korea has increasingly focused on expanding naval capabilities on both its eastern and western coasts. With the Choe Hyon deployed in the West Sea and the Kang Kon assigned to the East Sea, Pyongyang appears to be pursuing a broader strategy of strengthening strategic naval assets across both maritime fronts.
Earlier this year, North Korea announced plans to construct two large warships exceeding 5,000 tons over the next five years, including vessels in the 10,000-ton class, indicating its intention to expand the size and capabilities of its surface fleet.
The commissioning ceremony came as South Korea, the United States and Japan began their five-day Freedom Edge multidomain military exercise in international waters east and south of South Korea’s Jeju Island. The exercise involves major naval and air assets from the three countries and is designed to improve deterrence and joint response capabilities against North Korean nuclear and missile threats.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the drills are aimed at strengthening deterrence and response capabilities while contributing to regional peace and stability. Pyongyang has repeatedly condemned such exercises as rehearsals for war.
The latest naval development also comes just two days before North Korea marks the 78th anniversary of its founding on September 9, adding significance to the timing of the high-profile commissioning ceremony.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
