Ahead of Xi’s Visit, Kim Strengthens Naval Nuclear Deterrence and Secret Weapons
Days before the anticipated visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Pyongyang, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un emphasized the need to strengthen his country’s naval capabilities so that they become one of the fundamental pillars of nuclear deterrence.
His remarks came while supervising sea trials of the destroyer “Kang Gon,” which has entered the operational capability evaluation phase.
China and North Korea previously announced that Xi Jinping would visit Pyongyang on June 8 and 9, marking his first visit to North Korea in several years and coming only weeks after he hosted consecutive summits with U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Tour of the New Destroyer
The Korean Central News Agency reported on Saturday that Kim Jong Un visited the newly built 5,000-ton destroyer “Kang Gon” on June 4 and observed its sea trials.
Photographs released by state media showed his daughter, Kim Ju Ae, accompanying him during the visit. He boarded the vessel, inspected the integrated command center and combat stations, and received briefings on maritime trial plans and testing schedules for the destroyer’s various weapons systems.
Kim praised the crew’s ability to operate the ship and expressed satisfaction with its performance, stating that “the vessel’s navigation and high-speed maneuvering capabilities are excellent and meet operational requirements.”
The North Korean leader further stated that “possessing a genuine and powerful military force capable of responsibly exercising military sovereignty on land, at sea, and in the air is the way to deter war and safeguard peace,” describing this as a “consistent principle of the Party and the state’s defense policy.”
In this context, he stressed that strengthening naval power so that it becomes a reliable pillar of nuclear deterrence is the most important task within the new five-year national defense development plan. He added that the goal is to build a navy capable of delivering “lethal strikes” against enemies from both the surface and underwater at any time.
A Larger Fleet with Expanded Capabilities
Kim also revealed the continuation of development and production programs for what he described as “secret underwater weapons,” as well as a project to build new 10,000-ton destroyers under the five-year naval modernization plan approved by the ninth congress of the ruling party.
He called on officials, scientists, and engineers working in naval research institutions and weapons development centers to accelerate the operational deployment of the destroyers “Choe Hyon” and “Kang Gon” into the North Korean Navy.
Messages of Strength
Senior researcher Hong Min stated that references to 10,000-ton destroyers reflect a long-term vision aimed at countering neighboring countries’ Aegis-equipped warships and expanding naval capabilities to cruiser-level strength.
He added that these statements may also serve as a demonstration of North Korea’s strategic standing ahead of Xi Jinping’s scheduled visit to Pyongyang on June 8 and 9.
Meanwhile, Professor Emeritus Yang Moo Jin suggested that the phrase “secret underwater weapons” most likely refers to nuclear-powered submarines and submarine-launched ballistic missiles.
The Significance of the “Kang Gon”
The destroyer “Kang Gon” holds particular significance for Pyongyang after it suffered a notable accident during its launching ceremony in May of last year, when it tilted and overturned while being lowered into the water.
At the time, Kim Jong Un described the incident as a “serious accident” and a “crime,” ordering accountability for those responsible.
Although North Korea later announced that the vessel had been refloated and relaunched only twenty-two days after the accident, doubts persisted for a considerable period regarding its technical readiness.
However, state media have now published, for the first time, images showing the destroyer sailing normally during navigation trials.
