North Korean leader Kim Jong Un commissioned a second nuclear-capable destroyer, the Kang Kon, at Wonsan Port on Sunday and said the 5,000-ton warship would form part of a nuclear response system aimed at U.S., South Korean and Japanese naval operations off the Korean Peninsula.
The ceremony came a day before the three governments launched their annual "Freedom Edge" trilateral exercise in waters east and south of South Korea's Jeju Island. The five-day drill, involving major maritime and air assets, will run through Friday. Kim used the timing to declare, per state media KCNA, that his navy would deliver "annihilating retaliatory strikes" if provoked.
The ship
The Kang Kon is the second Choe Hyon-class destroyer to enter service, following the lead ship commissioned on North Korea's west coast three months ago. Reuters, citing KCNA, reported that the Kang Kon carries identical systems to the Choe Hyon and that previous KCNA dispatches have described the class as able to carry missiles that outside analysts assess as capable of delivering a nuclear payload.
"Kim's remarks declare the destroyers will be platforms for sea-based nuclear deterrence," analyst Lim Eul-chul told Reuters.
Sunday marked the third attempt to put the Kang Kon into the water. The destroyer partially capsized during its first commissioning in May 2025, according to Al Jazeera, before it was repaired, relaunched the following month, and completed weapons testing in July of this year. The ship is named after a North Korean military commander killed during the Korean War.
Kim's daughter, Ju Ae, stood beside her father in a white dress suit, receiving salutes and boarding the destroyer. South Korea's National Intelligence Service believes she is being positioned as his successor.
Kim's framing
"The time has come for us to exercise our sovereignty at sea and underwater," Kim said, according to KCNA. He described the "sea east of the Korean Peninsula and nearby waters" as under constant threat and said "dangerous shadows must be erased." Kim promised to demonstrate "another stage" of North Korea's naval buildup within eight months, without providing details.
The counterpoint
South Korea's military said in a statement that the Freedom Edge exercise is "defensive in nature" and intended to respond to North Korean nuclear and missile threats while promoting regional peace and stability, Al Jazeera reported. Pyongyang has previously called the trilateral drill a "reckless show of strength."
Kim did not disclose which weapons the Kang Kon will carry, and KCNA did not confirm whether nuclear warheads are already aboard. Freedom Edge runs through Friday; Kim's eight-month timeline for a further naval milestone points to May 2027.