Kim Jong Un supervises weapons tests aboard repaired North Korean destroyer
North Korea says Kim Jong Un has overseen weapons tests aboard the repaired 5,000-ton destroyer Kang Kon, in a fresh display of the country's naval ambitions. The tests included a nuclear-capable cruise missile, according to the state media account cited in the supplied material. Kim also ordered the vessel to be placed into active duty within two months.
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The reported trials took place on Friday and were described as including the ship's main gun, automatic cannons, electronic warfare systems, and its target-detection and information-processing capabilities. Kim observed the tests from the shore, according to the report. The destroyer had previously been damaged during a failed launch ceremony in 2025 and was later repaired.
The Kang Kon is one of North Korea's 5,000-ton destroyers, a class that has become central to Kim's push to expand naval power. In late June, North Korea commissioned its first 5,000-ton destroyer, the Choe Hyon, at a ceremony that Kim attended. The supplied material says Kim has also called for two new 5,000-ton warships each year over the next five years, alongside work on a larger 10,000-ton destroyer.
The latest tests matter because they point to a broader effort to strengthen North Korea's ability to project force at sea and to develop weapons that the country says can support pre-emptive strike capabilities. The destroyer is described as being equipped with anti-aircraft and anti-ship weapons as well as nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles. The report also links the naval programme to Kim's wider military goals set out at a Workers' Party congress in February, including intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of underwater launches.
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The supplied material says South Korean officials have claimed the vessel was likely built with Russian assistance, reflecting deepening military ties between the two countries. It also notes that Kim has increasingly focused on naval capabilities, including the construction of a nuclear-powered submarine. That places the destroyer programme within a wider pattern of military development that North Korea has presented as part of its long-term defence planning.
What remains unclear is how quickly the Kang Kon can complete its remaining trials and whether the two-month deadline can be met. The supplied material does not give an independent assessment of the ship's readiness or the performance of the weapons tested. It also does not confirm any outside verification of the state media account, leaving the scale and operational significance of the tests to be judged against future developments.
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