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A Year After Disastrous Launch, North Korean Ship Seen Firing Its Guns
Business Insider • • world
Key Points:
- North Korea's new 5,000-ton naval destroyer, the Kang Kon, has become seaworthy and is currently testing its weapons systems, including main guns, autocannons, and vertically launched cruise missiles reported to be nuclear-capable.
- The weapons tests, attended by leader Kim Jong Un, also included electronic warfare, information processing, and target detection systems, signaling progress toward operational status.
- The Kang Kon experienced a failed launch in May 2025, resulting in damage and capsizing, but was repaired and relaunched a month later; Kim detained several officials responsible for the initial accident.
- Kim Jong Un has ordered the Kang Kon to be ready for active duty within two months and plans to build two additional Choe Hyon-class destroyers along with a larger 10,000-ton warship to strengthen North Korea's naval capabilities.
- These destroyers are central to Kim's strategy to develop a nuclear-capable navy that complements the country's intercontinental ballistic missile program.
