Pyongyang, North Korea. North Korea plans to build a 10,000-ton destroyer and develop secret underwater weapons, state media said on Saturday ahead of a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Rodong Sinmun newspaper said leader Kim Jong Un ordered the navy to deploy the destroyer Kang Kon and another 5,000-ton warship, the Choe Hyon, as soon as possible.
Naval plans announced
The newspaper, reporting on a naval test on Thursday supervised by Kim, did not provide further details on the planned 10,000-ton destroyer or the underwater weapons program.
Hong Min, a senior analyst at South Korea’s Institute for National Unification, said it was the first time North Korea had mentioned a plan to build a 10,000-ton destroyer.
Timing before Xi visit
Hong said Kim may be seeking to showcase the country’s military capabilities ahead of Xi’s visit on Monday and Tuesday.
Xi is making his first visit to North Korea in nearly seven years as Beijing looks to reassert ties with Pyongyang, its only formal treaty ally.
Kim calls for stronger military capabilities
According to Rodong Sinmun, Kim said Pyongyang must enhance its naval capabilities to deter a nuclear war and called for powerful military capabilities across land, sea and air.
Before Xi’s visit was announced, Kim on Thursday called for an “exponential” expansion of North Korea’s atomic arsenal during a visit to a newly operational nuclear material production factory.
Inspection and previous warship accident
A photo published by the newspaper showed Kim was joined during the ship inspection by his daughter, believed to be a teenager named Ju Ae.
North Korea said in May 2025 that a 5,000-ton destroyer had partially capsized during a launching ceremony at Chongjin port. Kim, who was overseeing the ceremony, condemned the accident and called it a “criminal act” that could not be tolerated.