SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un conducted a two-day examination of his military’s newest destroyer before its official launch and watched cruise missile testing from the vessel, promising to speed up nuclear weapon integration into his naval forces, according to state media reports released Thursday.
North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim made visits to the Nampo shipyard on the western coast Tuesday and Wednesday, where he also reviewed construction progress on a third destroyer matching his 5,000-ton vessel, the Choe Hyon, which debuted in April 2025.
The North Korean leader has praised the Choe Hyon’s development as a major step forward in his plan to extend his nuclear-equipped military’s operational reach and first-strike abilities. According to state media, the vessel can deploy multiple weapon systems, including air defense and anti-ship weapons, plus ballistic and cruise missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Military analysts and South Korean defense officials believe the Choe Hyon was constructed with Russian technical support as the two nations strengthen military cooperation, though some question whether the ship is combat-ready.
The regime revealed a second destroyer of identical design in May of last year, but the vessel suffered damage during a failed launch ceremony at Chongjin port in the northeast, prompting an angry response from Kim, who labeled the incident “criminal.” North Korea announced the repaired destroyer, called Kang Kon, was successfully relaunched in June, but international observers doubt the ship’s full operational status.
Following Tuesday’s observation of the Choe Hyon’s ocean testing, Kim declared the vessel satisfied operational standards and described it as representing his nation’s growing naval strength. He demanded the construction of two warships annually for the coming five years, all matching or exceeding the Choe Hyon’s specifications.
Kim returned Wednesday to witness cruise missile launches from the Choe Hyon. State media released images showing him observing from the coastline as multiple projectiles lifted off from the ship amid clouds of white smoke, describing the weapons as “strategic,” terminology North Korea uses for nuclear-capable systems.
Following years of emphasizing ballistic missile advancement, Kim has redirected attention toward naval development, including ongoing work on a nuclear-powered submarine. KCNA announced the third destroyer being built at Nampo shipyard should be finished by the ruling Workers’ Party’s founding celebration in October.
Naval enhancement was a central theme when Kim presented his five-year military objectives at last month’s Workers’ Party congress, including demands for intercontinental ballistic missiles that can launch from beneath the ocean.
Kim stated Tuesday that his campaign to equip his navy with nuclear arms was “making satisfactory” headway. He claimed these alleged improvements would “constitute a radical change in defending our maritime sovereignty, something that we have not achieved for half a century.”
KCNA provided no additional details about Kim’s statement. Some experts suggest North Korea might be preparing to officially announce a maritime border that could intrude into waters under South Korean control.
With inter-Korean relations deteriorating, Kim has consistently stated he rejects the Northern Limit Line, established by the U.S.-led U.N. Command following the 1950-53 Korean War. This imprecisely defined western maritime boundary has been the location of multiple fatal naval confrontations in recent years.
During the party congress, Kim reinforced plans to grow North Korea’s nuclear weapons stockpile, which currently includes various systems that threaten the United States and American allies across Asia, while confirming his aggressive stance toward South Korea.
However, he maintained openness to discussions with the Trump administration, repeating Pyongyang’s requirement that Washington abandon its demand for denuclearization as a prerequisite for restarting dormant negotiations.
