North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw cruise missile tests fired from his newest warship, the Choe Hyon, and inspected the construction of a third vessel of the same class, state media reported Thursday, signaling an acceleration of efforts to expand the country’s naval capabilities and nuclear armament at sea.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Kim conducted the inspections Tuesday and Wednesday at the Nampo Shipyard on the west coast. During the tests, Kim observed the launch of multiple cruise missiles described as “strategic,” a designation typically reserved for weapons capable of carrying a nuclear payload. Photographs released by KCNA showed Kim observing the launches from shore as the missiles ascended in plumes of white smoke.
Kim’s focus on naval development comes after years of prioritizing ballistic missile technology. He has repeatedly emphasized the require to bolster his country’s maritime defenses, particularly in light of escalating tensions with South Korea and the United States. At a party congress last month, Kim outlined five-year military goals that included developing intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of being launched from underwater, according to KCNA.
The Choe Hyon, a 5,000-ton destroyer unveiled in April 2025, is considered a significant advancement in North Korea’s naval capabilities. State media claims the ship is equipped to handle a variety of weapons systems, including anti-air and anti-naval weaponry, as well as nuclear-capable missiles. South Korean military officials and analysts believe the vessel was likely constructed with Russian assistance, though questions remain about its operational readiness.
North Korea previously unveiled a second destroyer of the same class in May 2025, but a botched launch ceremony at Chongjin resulted in damage to the ship, prompting a harsh rebuke from Kim. The vessel, named Kang Kon, was reportedly relaunched in June after repairs, though its full operational status remains uncertain.
Kim has called for the construction of two warships annually for the next five years, mirroring or exceeding the capabilities of the Choe Hyon. He stated that arming the navy with nuclear weapons was “making satisfactory” progress and would “constitute a radical change in defending our maritime sovereignty, something that we have not achieved for half a century.”
The inspections and missile tests occur against a backdrop of heightened inter-Korean tensions. Kim has consistently rejected the Northern Limit Line, a maritime boundary established by the U.S.-led U.N. Command at the end of the Korean War in 1953, and has signaled a potential intention to redefine the boundary, potentially encroaching on waters controlled by South Korea. The Northern Limit Line has been the site of several naval clashes in the past.
At the recent party congress, Kim reaffirmed his commitment to expanding North Korea’s nuclear arsenal and maintained a hard-line stance toward South Korea, whereas also leaving the door open for dialogue with the United States, contingent on Washington abandoning its demand for denuclearization as a precondition for resumed talks.
