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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un formally commissioned the destroyer Kang Kon at Wonsan Port, declaring it capable of 'annihilating retaliatory strikes' as part of Pyongyang's expanding nuclear naval forces.

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**Kim Jong Un** commissioned the destroyer Kang Kon at Wonsan Port in Kangwon Province on Sunday, declaring it capable of "annihilating retaliatory strikes on an enemy" and part of North Korea's nuclear response system.

What is a key fact in this story? (2)

**KCNA** said the Kang Kon carries the same weapons systems as the 5,000-tonne Choe Hyon destroyer launched in June, which analysts say can carry missiles capable of carrying a nuclear payload.

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Kim commissions Kang Kon into nuclear strike force — SkimNews

By Al Jazeera · Summarized & edited by Kapil Samant · 2026-09-07

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Kim Jong Un commissioned the destroyer Kang Kon at Wonsan Port in Kangwon Province on Sunday, declaring it capable of "annihilating retaliatory strikes on an enemy" and part of North Korea's nuclear response system.
KCNA said the Kang Kon carries the same weapons systems as the 5,000-tonne Choe Hyon destroyer launched in June, which analysts say can carry missiles capable of carrying a nuclear payload.
The Kang Kon had a troubled rollout: it partially capsized during its first commissioning in May 2025, was repaired and relaunched in June, underwent further repairs and sea trials, and completed weapons testing in July — making Sunday's ceremony the vessel's third launch.
Kim announced he would demonstrate another stage of North Korea's naval buildup in eight months and said construction of east coast naval bases is underway, with plans for new naval units and additional warship classes.
North Korea frames the expansion as deterrence against Washington and Seoul, with Kim accusing the US-South Korea alliance of driving the region "to the brink of a nuclear war" while the Korean Peninsula remains technically at war.

Why it matters: The Kang Kon's capsizing during its May 2025 commissioning — followed by two repair cycles before Sunday's third launch — undercuts the image of a seamless deterrent rollout, yet Kim's pledge to unveil another naval milestone in eight months shows the buildup timeline is not slowing despite the embarrassment.