North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has overseen the test-firing of “strategic cruise missiles” from a newly built 5,000-tonne naval destroyer ahead of its official commissioning, according to state media reports.
North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Kim supervised the launch of sea-to-surface cruise missiles from the destroyer Choe Hyon during a visit to the Nampo Shipyard on Wednesday.
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KCNA described the missile launch as a key demonstration of the new warship's combat capability, with Kim calling the vessel a “new symbol of sea defence” for the country.
“Our Navy's forces for attacking from under and above water will grow rapidly. The arming of the Navy with nuclear weapons is making satisfactory progress,” Kim said, according to KCNA.
He added that the latest developments marked a significant shift in North Korea's maritime defence posture.
“All these successes constitute a radical change in defending our maritime sovereignty, something that we have not achieved for half a century,” he said.
According to KCNA, Kim inspected the Choe Hyon, the lead ship in a new class of 5,000-tonne destroyers currently under construction in North Korea, during a two-day visit to the shipyard spanning Tuesday and Wednesday.
South Korea's Yonhap News Agency noted that North Korea typically uses the term “strategic” to refer to weapons capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
The test also comes months after a setback in North Korea's naval modernisation programme. In May 2025, a second destroyer of the same class capsized during a failed side-launch ceremony at the Chongjin Shipyard.
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KCNA later acknowledged that a malfunction in the launch mechanism caused the stern of the 5,000-tonne ship to slide prematurely into the water, crushing parts of the hull while leaving the bow stranded on the shipway.
At the time, Kim called the incident a “criminal act,” blaming it on “absolute carelessness” and “irresponsibility” among several state institutions.
The latest missile tests also come weeks after Kim addressed a rare congress of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea in late February, where he pledged to improve living standards while pushing ahead with military development.
“This requires us to wage a more active and persistent struggle without allowing even a moment's standstill or stagnation,” Kim said.
North Korea has long prioritised the development of nuclear weapons and military capabilities, arguing that a strong deterrent is necessary to counter pressure from the United States and its ally, South Korea.
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