Wonsan: North Korea has commissioned its new naval destroyer Kang Kon, state media said Monday, as the country pushes to modernize its naval assets and sharpen its combat readiness at sea with nuclear-capable vessels. Leader Kim Jong-un attended the commissioning ceremony held a day earlier at the eastern port city of Wonsan, where he called the new 5,000-ton destroyer "essentially an offensive destroyer" and part of "the state nuclear counteraction system," according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim Jong-un emphasized the role of the new-generation destroyer in delivering a "deadly retaliatory blow" to enemies, marking it as a significant component of the state nuclear counteraction system. He underlined the importance of developing the North Korean navy into "a nuclear armed force" capable of conducting maritime defense and war deterrence activities with greater clarity. Furthermore, Kim pledged to continue enhancing the country's naval forces by deploying increasingly powerful strategic assets.
The Kang Kon is set to be a crucial asset in North Korea's East Sea Fleet, tasked with safeguarding the maritime sovereignty of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) as a nuclear war deterrent. Photos released by KCNA depicted Kim accompanied by his wife, Ri Sol-ju, and daughter Ju-ae at the ceremony.
The destroyer's commissioning follows the launch of its sister ship, the Choe Hyon, earlier this year. The Choe Hyon, North Korea's first 5,000-ton destroyer, has been assigned the mission of defending the West Sea and deterring war. The Kang Kon's journey to commissioning faced challenges, including a capsizing incident during its initial launch attempt in May last year. However, the vessel was successfully launched a month later.
In July, North Korea conducted test-firings of strategic cruise missiles and other weapons from the Kang Kon into the East Sea, with Kim Jong-un overseeing the drills. Following these exercises, Kim ordered the warship to be commissioned into the Navy within two months.
North Korea has been ramping up efforts to deploy naval assets with nuclear capabilities on both its coasts. Early this year, Pyongyang unveiled ambitious plans to construct two large warships of over 5,000 tons within the next five years, including 10,000-ton-class warships.
The commissioning of the Kang Kon coincided with the start of the Freedom Edge military exercise, a five-day multidomain drill conducted by South Korea, the United States, and Japan in international waters east and south of South Korea's southern island of Jeju. North Korea has criticized such military drills as war rehearsals. The exercises are intended to bolster deterrence and response capabilities against North Korean nuclear and missile threats, while safeguarding regional peace and stability, as stated by South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The ceremony's timing was also notable, coming just ahead of the 78th anniversary of North Korea's founding on September 9.