North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said a newly commissioned destroyer will become part of the country’s state nuclear response system, describing it as a platform capable of supporting what he called “annihilating retaliatory strikes.”
The remarks were reported by North Korean state media KCNA following a commissioning ceremony for the Kang Kon, a 5,000-ton-class destroyer, at the port city of Wonsan on Sunday.
KCNA did not clarify whether the warship itself would carry nuclear weapons. However, Kim’s comments indicate that North Korea intends to further integrate its expanding naval capabilities into its broader nuclear deterrence strategy.
Kim highlights naval nuclear capabilities
Kim said the deployment of the new destroyer to waters east of the Korean Peninsula sent a clear message to North Korea’s adversaries.
He declared that the time had come for North Korea to exercise its sovereignty “at sea and underwater,” according to KCNA.
Kim also said the country’s naval nuclear armaments were advancing and that Pyongyang would continue developing powerful strategic assets for deployment in key waters.
The North Korean leader said these capabilities were intended to protect the country’s maritime sovereignty and regional security.
The Kang Kon will reportedly become part of North Korea’s state nuclear response system, further linking the country’s naval modernisation programme with its nuclear forces.
New destroyer follows Choe Hyon
The Kang Kon is reportedly the second warship of its class to enter service.
It follows the commissioning of the Choe Hyon destroyer on North Korea’s west coast around three months earlier.
KCNA said the Kang Kon carries the same systems as the Choe Hyon, although it did not provide a detailed list of its weapons.
Previous North Korean state media reports have said Choe Hyon-class destroyers can carry a range of weapons. Analysts have assessed that some of the missiles associated with the class could potentially be capable of carrying nuclear payloads.
However, the latest report did not establish that the Kang Kon is currently equipped with nuclear weapons.
Expert sees sea-based nuclear deterrence
Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University’s Institute for Far Eastern Studies, said Kim’s remarks amounted to a public declaration that the destroyers would serve as platforms for sea-based nuclear deterrence.
According to Lim, positioning the Kang Kon in waters east of the Korean Peninsula could be intended to deter naval operations by the United States, South Korea and Japan around the region.
The development comes as the three countries conduct a joint military exercise in waters near South Korea.
US, South Korea and Japan begin naval exercise
South Korea, the United States and Japan began their annual Freedom Edge exercise on Monday in international waters southeast and south of Jeju Island.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the exercise involves major maritime and air assets from the three countries.
The drill is scheduled to continue until Friday and is intended to strengthen deterrence and response capabilities against North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats.
The timing of the exercise alongside North Korea’s latest naval announcement adds to the military tensions surrounding the Korean Peninsula.
Kim promises further naval expansion
Kim also indicated that North Korea’s naval development programme will continue.
KCNA reported that he said another stage of the country’s naval buildup would be demonstrated in approximately eight months, although he did not provide details about what would be unveiled.
Analyst Lim suggested that the eight-month timetable could point to the disclosure of another major strategic asset rather than simply another surface warship.
North Korea has been accelerating efforts to modernise its navy as part of a broader push to expand its nuclear-capable military forces.
More naval bases and warships planned
Kim said construction of naval bases along North Korea’s east coast was underway.
He also said the country would establish new naval units and build different classes of warships as part of its expanding maritime capabilities.
South Korea’s Unification Ministry said it would closely monitor developments.
The ministry also noted that the possibility of nuclear armament for North Korea’s navy has been discussed since the country’s Ninth Party Congress in February.
Ju Ae appears prominently at ceremony
Kim’s daughter, Ju Ae, also played a prominent role during the destroyer’s commissioning ceremony.
KCNA photographs showed her wearing a white suit and standing beside her father as they received salutes. She was also shown on a large screen above the crowd and boarding the new destroyer.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service has assessed that North Korea is continuing steps that could position Ju Ae as Kim’s successor, according to a South Korean lawmaker last week.
Her increasingly visible presence at major military and political events has therefore drawn attention from South Korean authorities and analysts.
North Korea expands nuclear-capable forces
The commissioning of the Kang Kon represents another step in North Korea’s effort to expand its military capabilities beyond land-based nuclear and missile systems.
By linking the destroyer to its state nuclear response system, Pyongyang appears to be placing greater emphasis on naval platforms as part of its strategic deterrence.
However, details about the destroyer’s actual nuclear capabilities remain unclear, as North Korean state media has not confirmed whether the vessel carries nuclear weapons.
The latest developments are likely to be closely monitored by South Korea, the United States and Japan as North Korea continues its naval modernisation and broader expansion of nuclear-capable forces.
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