North Korea Commissions Second in Class Destroyer

The second Choe Hyon-class destroyer, Kang Kon (52), was commissioned Sept. 6, 2026. State media Korean Central News Agency photo North Korea commissioned the second Choe Hyon-class destroyer, Kang Kon (52), on Sunday at Wonsan Port, state media Korean Central News Agency reported.

Kang Kon was commissioned in a ceremony overseen by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

During the speech, Kim addressed the commanding officer and crew of Kang Kon, telling them that they will soon be assigned with a strategic mission. The 5,000-ton destroyer is included in North Korea’s nuclear counteraction system. Kang Kon is assigned to North Korea’s East Sea Fleet, which is responsible for operations in the Sea of Japan.

“If our enemies dare to have recourse to armed force against us, I will order you to use our absolute strength, which would deal the most fatal blow to them. You must deal an annihilating retaliatory strike to the enemies if such an order is issued at any time,” Kim said.

Kang Kon (52) was assigned to North Korea’s East Sea Fleet, which is responsible for operations in the Sea of Japan. The 5,000-ton destroyer was commissioned Sept. 6, 2026. State media Korean Central News Agency Kang Kon’s commissioning follows first-in-class Choe Hyon’s (51) commissioning on June 23 at Nampho on the west coast.

Kang Kon was launched unsuccessfully on May 21, 2025, with the destroyer capsizing in the process. It was refloated and relaunched on June 12, 2025.

North Korea has two more ships of the class currently under construction. The third ship is scheduled to be completed by Oct. 10, the anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea.

During the ceremony, the North Korean leader said the country will unveil a significant naval milestone in eight months, according to KCNA. The North Korean leader did not provide additional details. In December of 2025, Kim visited a nuclear powered missile submarine that is under construction.

In his speech, Kim also emphasized the development of the Korean People’s Army Navy’s nuclear weapons capability.

“We will deploy the most powerful strategic assets in the most important waters in order to show our principled and responsible will to defend the maritime sovereignty of our Republic, the security environment in Northeast Asia and the global peace, and also make a great contribution to this end,” Kim said.

North Korea uses the term strategic to describe nuclear weapons capability.

The transformation of the KPAN does not mean that its vessels are becoming larger and that its shipborne weapons systems are being modernized, but that the navy is being equipped with nuclear weapons.

New naval bases are also being constructed for operations in the Sea of Japan. Following completion of the commissioning ceremony, which included a tour of the ship, the destroyer departed Wonsan to head to a naval base on the east coast.

U.S. Navy Cmdr. Rebecca Conti-Vock, commanding officer of Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold (DDG-65) stands watch in the combat information center aboard Benfold during a surface action group exercise in the Western Pacific, Sept. 7, 2026, in support of Freedom Edge 26. US Navy photo Meanwhile on Monday, the U.S., South Korea and Japan began the fourth iteration of trilateral exercise Freedom Edge in the waters south of South Korea. The opening ceremony was held Monday at Yokota Air Base, Japan, with Lt. Gen. Stephen Jost, Commander, U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ), Vice Adm. Yoshiyasu Ishimaki, Director General, Operations Department, Japan Joint Staff and Rear Adm. Ji-hoon Kim, Director of Exercises and Training, Republic of Korea Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“The message of this exercise is simple and clear. The Republic of Korea, Japan, and the United States stand together on common interests, ready to preserve the peace and security we have built and defended for more than eight decades,” Jost said during the ceremony, according to a Pentagon news release.

The exercise, which will run through Friday, is conducted in international waters and airspace south of South Korea, as well as at military installations and command posts in Japan. The exercise is defensive in nature and aims to improve coordination, information sharing and combined readiness among the three nations.

An earlier USFJ news release stated that this year’s iteration features enhanced real-time data sharing and synchronized coordination among all three nations to defend against evolving regional threats. The exercise will also incorporate multi-national maritime and aviation capabilities, and introduce enhanced air defense scenarios, medical evacuation training and maritime interdiction operations.

Both the U.S. and South Korea have not disclosed which forces have been deployed for the drills, though Pentagon images released on Monday shows destroyer USS Benfold (DDG-65) taking part in the drills.

“Trilateral exercises and operations like Freedom Edge demonstrate our continued partnership and the growth of our trilateral cooperation to ensure peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific,” reads the image caption.

Benfold previously pulled into Busan, South Korea, for a port visit on Sept. 1.

On Aug. 28, Japan’s Joint Staff Office said that Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyers JS Asahi (DD-119) and JS Atago (DDG-177), JMSDF P-1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA), SH-60K helicopters and Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-15 and F-2 fighter aircraft, E-767 and E-2D Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft and KC-46A and KC-767 tanker aircraft will participate in Freedom Edge 2026.

Freedom Edge began in 2024 following a commitment by the three countries during the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group headed the drills in June of 2024 and the George Washington CSG led the drills in November of 2024. Last year’s exercise was led by U.S. 7th Fleet command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) and destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG-52).