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.