Nuclear-capable warship that capsized when launched finally joins North Korea’s fleet

North Korea has commissioned its second modern guided-missile destroyer, a remarkable recovery for a vessel that capsized when it was launched in May 2025, infuriating the country’s leader Kim Jong Un who called it a “criminal act.”

Kim said Sunday’s commissioning of the destroyer Kang Kon was a result of the country’s “self-respect, will and strong spirit .” He added that the nuclear-capable warship would send a strong message of deterrence to North Korea’s enemies, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

It’s quite a turnaround from last year when the Kang Kon was being launched, a malfunction in the mechanism caused the stern to slide prematurely into the water, crushing parts of the hull and leaving the bow stranded on the shipway, KCNA reported at the time. A day later, state media reported the damage was not as bad as initially feared.

The Kang Kon is the second in the Choe Hyon-class of destroyers. Displacing about 5,000 tons, they are North Korea’s largest-ever warships.

The lead ship was commissioned in June , with Kim saying at the time that it represented a new chapter in North Korea’s military history and that its navy has “put an end to over 70 years of its stagnation.”

On Sunday, he echoed those thoughts, saying the commissioning of the Kang Kon “constitutes a historic event” for the navy’s capabilities.

The North Korean naval fleet has long been eclipsed by South Korean and United States naval forces, which have modern warships and submarines with sophisticated electronics and powerful missile launch capabilities.

Kim has been trying to transform Pyongyang’s navy into a “nuclear armed force” to deter its adversaries. New naval bases are being constructed on the country’s east coast to host an expanding fleet, Kim said Sunday, according to KCNA.

Kim has called for North Korean shipyards to turn out two new surface ships a year, including cruisers double the size of the Choe Hyon.

And North Korea has also claimed to be building a large nuclear-powered attack submarine , equal in size to the US Navy’s attack subs. Images released in December showed Kim inspecting the sub in an indoor construction facility.

Kim may have been referring to any or all of those claims when he said Sunday that “ we are executing an important plan to enhance our naval force. I will, again, prove that to the world after eight months,” according to KCNA.

Attending Sunday’s launch ceremony with Kim was his daughter, who is thought to be named Ju Ae and who experts think Kim is grooming to be his successor .

Images released by state media showed the girl posing with her father and the ship’s crew for a group photo after getting a tour of the vessel.

朝鲜已服役其第二艘现代化导弹驱逐舰，这对于一艘在 2025 年 5 月下水时倾覆的舰艇来说，是一个了不起的恢复，这激怒了朝鲜领导人金正恩，他称之为“犯罪行为”。

金正恩周日表示，驱逐舰“康坤”号的服役体现了朝鲜的“自尊、意志和坚强精神”。据朝中社报道，他还补充说，这艘具备核能力的战舰将向朝鲜的敌人发出强烈的威慑信号。

这与去年“康昆”号下水时的情形截然不同。据朝中社当时报道，当时由于机械故障，船尾过早滑入水中，船体部分受损，船首则搁浅在船台上。一天后，朝中社报道称，损失没有最初预想的那么严重。

“康坤”号是崔贤级驱逐舰的二号舰。排水量约5000吨，是朝鲜有史以来最大的军舰。

首舰于 6 月服役，金正恩当时表示，这标志着朝鲜军事史的新篇章，朝鲜海军“结束了 70 多年的停滞状态”。

周日，他再次表达了类似的观点，称“康康”号的服役“对海军的能力而言是一个历史性的事件”。

朝鲜海军舰队长期以来一直落后于韩国和美国的海军力量，后者拥有配备先进电子设备和强大导弹发射能力的现代化军舰和潜艇。

金正恩一直试图将平壤海军改造为一支“核武装力量”，以威慑其对手。据朝中社周日报道，金正恩表示，朝鲜正在东海岸建设新的海军基地，以容纳不断扩大的舰队。

金正恩要求朝鲜造船厂每年建造两艘新的水面舰艇，其中包括比崔贤号大两倍的巡洋舰。

朝鲜还声称正在建造一艘大型核动力攻击潜艇，其尺寸与美国海军的攻击潜艇相当。去年12月公布的照片显示，金正恩在室内建造设施内视察了这艘潜艇。

据朝中社报道，金正恩周日表示“我们正在执行一项旨在增强海军力量的重要计划。八个月后，我将再次向世界证明这一点”，他可能指的是上述所有或部分说法。

周日与金正恩一同出席发布会的还有他的女儿，据信名叫朱爱，专家认为金正恩正在培养她成为自己的接班人。

官方媒体发布的照片​​显示，女孩在参观完这艘船后，与父亲和船员们一起合影留念。