Kim Jong Un Orders Annual Construction of Two Major Warships for Next Five Years
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has directed the country to build two warships of approximately 5,000 metric tons each year for the next five years, state media reported on Tuesday (June 23, 2026). The announcement came during a commissioning ceremony for a new destroyer, the Choe Hyon, at the Nampho port.
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim attended the ceremony to celebrate the deployment of the multipurpose destroyer, which successfully completed military operational tests over the past 14 months.
Kim also stated that another 5,000-ton destroyer, named Kang Kon, would be deployed soon, along with 10,000-ton strategic warships. The Kang Kon underwent repairs last year after partially capsizing during a launch ceremony.
During his speech, Kim acknowledged that the navy had been the weakest branch of North Korea's military but claimed its capabilities would now become “something incredible beyond imagination.” He emphasized that building a modernised naval base has emerged as a “desperate and essential task.”
Kim noted that officials from the ruling Workers' Party Central Committee discussed plans to construct new naval bases at a meeting on Monday (June 22, 2026). He added that the most important change for the navy would be a shift in its status, role, and scope of operations, without providing further details.
Regarding nuclear capabilities, Kim stated that the navy's nuclearisation is “advancing along its own course,” contributing to the country's nuclear deterrence.
