The sea trial of the Kang Kon warship took place on June 4, but the information was only revealed on June 6. Images released by North Korea’s state news agency KCNA show leader Kim Jong-un and his daughter Kim Ju-ae present on the warship throughout the testing process.
Kim has called for the rapid development of a naval force capable of playing a greater role in North Korea’s nuclear deterrent capabilities, as well as being able to “deliver a decisive blow to enemies from underwater or at sea at any time.”
Kim Jong-un and his daughter Kim Ju-ae inspect the sea trial of the Kang Kon warship on June 4. Photo: KCNA
Kim Jong-un stated that the navy is a key focus in the five-year defense plan approved at the earlier party congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea, which includes a project to build a 10,000-ton destroyer and develop secret underwater weapons.
The Kang Kon is the second ship of the Choe Hyon class, the largest and most modern warship in North Korean history. The vessel encountered serious issues during its launching ceremony at the shipyard in Chongjin in May 2025. Satellite images showed it capsized and was in a precarious position, partially submerged, which is one of the most challenging states for rescue operations.
Initially, KCNA reported that “some parts of the ship’s bottom were crushed,” but later announced that a detailed inspection of the underwater and internal sections of the warship found no holes, contrary to preliminary information.
The Kang Kon warship was successfully rescued and launched in June 2025. At that time, Western experts questioned whether it could achieve full operational status.
The Kang Kon warship during the sea trial on June 4. Photo: KCNA
North Korea refers to the Choe Hyon class as destroyers, while Western experts evaluate them as heavy missile corvettes with displacement comparable to modern warships in Europe.
Initially, the Choe Hyon class vessels were equipped with 74 vertical launching system (VLS) tubes, arranged in two launch clusters at the front and rear of the superstructure. North Korea later appeared to change the configuration, reducing the number to 68 VLS.
In comparison, the Constellation-class frigate, for which the U.S. canceled the development program, has only 32 Mark 41 launch tubes, while the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, with a displacement of over 9,000 tons, is equipped with 90-96 tubes.
Pham Giang (According to KCNA, AP)
