North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended a navigation test of the 5,000-ton Kang Kon destroyer and called for a stronger navy, state media reported Saturday.
Kim boarded the ship on Thursday with his daughter Ju-ae. He checked its movement and operating condition, the Korean Central News Agency said.
Kim said North Korea must build a navy that can support its nuclear war deterrent. He said the navy should also be able to strike enemies “under the water or on the water.”
He said the ruling party’s five-year defence plan would meet its naval targets. The plan includes “underwater secret weapons” and 10,000-ton destroyers, according to KCNA. Kim ordered the Kang Kon and Choe Hyon destroyers to enter service as soon as possible.
The Kang Kon tipped over during its first launch attempt in May last year and suffered damage. Kim later called the accident “absolute carelessness” and “irresponsibility.”
Read: Kim Jong Un Vows Irreversible Nuclear Status
North Korea moved the ship from Chongjin to the Rajin shipyard for repairs. It relaunched the vessel in June 2025. North Korea also launched the 5,000-ton Choe Hyon destroyer in April last year.
