Kim Jong Un Unveils Repaired 'Kang Kon' After Botched May Launch, Blames 'Irresponsibility'

Int'l Business Times

13-06-2025

North Korea announced Friday that it has repaired and relaunched its second naval destroyer, Kang Kon, after a failed launch in May, according to a report by Asharq Al-Awsat. The Choe Hyon–class vessel capsized during its initial launch, prompting a high-profile response from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who condemned the incident as the result of "absolute irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism."
At a ceremony held Thursday at the Rajin shipyard, Kim oversaw the relaunch and declared plans to build two new 5,000-ton destroyers by 2026. "North Korea will respond to external challenges with equal power and overwhelming military action," Kim stated, according to Asharq Al-Awsat.
In response to the failed May 21 launch, North Korean authorities detained four officials, including the vice director of the Workers' Party's munitions industry department. Kim labeled the botched launch a "criminal act" that "immediately destroyed the honor and pride of the country."
The newly repaired destroyer, designated as Destroyer No. 2, was formally reclassified as a Choe Hyon–class vessel and named Kang Kon by order of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party, according to China Daily. Jo Chun Ryong, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party, credited warship-building workers for the vessel's launch and said it would serve as a core component of the country's sea defense and deterrence. "The new-type multi-mission destroyer is equipped with comprehensive combat capabilities, developed in our own way, to carry out retaliatory annihilation strikes against hostile forces," Jo said.
Kim also met with the scientists, engineers, and workers involved in both the original construction and the recent restoration of the vessel. "No obstacle could delay the important course of bolstering our naval combat power," Kim declared during the ceremony.
Before the relaunch, the capsized ship was salvaged and moved to Rajin port, near the Russian border, for repairs. However, external observers remain skeptical of the restoration process. Analysts questioned whether Kang Kon's engine, weapons, and electronics systems could have been fully restored after being submerged in seawater for nearly two weeks.
"Considering the time they needed to raise the vessel, they would have had less than two weeks to carry out the actual repair work. Would that be enough to make the ship fully operational? I think that's highly unlikely," said Yang Uk, a defense analyst at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul.
Lee Illwoo, a military expert with the Korea Defense Network, added that key systems—such as the engine room, missile launchers, and anti-air defenses—were likely compromised due to flooding and sensitive electronics. Satellite imagery suggested that North Korea had attempted an unusual sideways launch technique, raising further questions about the ship's balance and seaworthiness. Some experts speculated that Russian specialists may have assisted with the repairs, and that both destroyers were built with Russian support.
The Kang Kon belongs to the same class as North Korea's first destroyer, unveiled in April, which experts described as the country's largest warship to date. North Korea plans to deploy both destroyers next year—a move that analysts warn could significantly escalate regional tensions. Lee noted that South Korea's navy may not yet be equipped to counter such large enemy vessels.
In a separate development, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung announced a halt to propaganda broadcasts along the border. North Korea has not officially responded.