North Korean leader Kim Jong Un presided over the relaunch of a 5,000-ton destroyer that partially sank during its failed inauguration last month, vowing to accelerate naval expansion and deploy warships deeper into the Pacific Ocean as tensions with the United States escalate.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday that Kim attended the ceremony for the destroyer, named Kang Kon, at the Rajin shipyard in the country's northeast. The warship, which capsized during its debut in May, has now been fully restored, KCNA said.
"In two weeks' time, the vessel was brought upright safely and set afloat, accomplishing its complete restoration today as planned," Kim said, according to KCNA.
He condemned the initial launch failure as a "criminal act" and reportedly oversaw the detention of four officials from the Workers' Party's munitions industry department, including a vice director.
Despite the incident, Kim declared that North Korea would build two additional 5,000-ton destroyers next year, citing what he called "escalating provocations" by the United States and its allies. "Soon, enemies will experience, themselves, how provocative and unpleasant it is to sit and watch the ships of an adversary run rampant on the fringes of sovereign waters," he said.
"I'm sure that in the near future, the routes of our battleships ... will be opened on the Pacific Ocean toward the outposts of aggression," Kim added.
The destroyer Kang Kon is North Korea's second known warship in its class and is believed to be similar in capability to the Choe Hyon, launched in May with Russian support. South Korean defense analysts say both ships represent a significant modernization in the North's aging naval fleet and signal Pyongyang's intent to extend its operational range.
Kim emphasized that his naval buildup is a direct response to joint U.S.-South Korea military drills and Washington's updated regional deterrence posture. The country will respond to the threats by our rivals with "overwhelming military action," he said.
Outside experts remain skeptical of Pyongyang's claim that the destroyer was fully repaired in such a short period. Satellite imagery reviewed in recent weeks did confirm extensive repairs, but the full extent of the damage has not been independently verified.
The South Korean military has assessed the destroyer's class as North Korea's most advanced to date, noting it could bolster both maritime deterrence and nuclear delivery capabilities.
