North Korean Leader Oversees Cruise Missile Launch From Warship

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has supervised the launch of a cruise missile from the warship Kang Kon, a vessel that suffered damage during a failed launch ceremony last year. This exercise is part of Pyongyang's broader strategy to equip its navy with nuclear-capable armaments, according to state media KCNA.

The tests, conducted on Friday, involved firing a "strategic" cruise missile from the 5,000-ton destroyer. The exercise also included verifications of the ship's cannons, machine guns, and electronic warfare systems. Kim urged for the "energetic acceleration" of expanding and maintaining "reliable war deterrence and combat capabilities."

He further ordered that the Kang Kon be integrated into the North Korean navy's active service within two months. The destroyer, named after the first chief of staff of the Korean People's Army, had been damaged during a botched launch in May 2025, an incident that reportedly led to criticism from Kim and several arrests.

These recent tests follow Kim Jong-un's declaration just over a week ago that North Korea plans to build at least two 5,000-ton or larger warships annually, equipping them with nuclear weapons. This statement was made during the commissioning ceremony for another destroyer, the Choe Hyon.

North Korea has recently intensified its rhetoric regarding its nuclear arsenal, citing what it calls the "indiscriminate use of force" by the United States and the conflict in the Middle East. The country has reiterated its refusal to engage in dialogue with Washington or Seoul if they persist with demands for denuclearization.

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to keep energetically accelerating the expansion and maintenance of reliable war deterrence and combat capabilities