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North Korea has announced plans to build a third 5,000-tonne destroyer-class warship, state media reported on Tuesday, as the country continues to boost its naval capabilities under the leadership of Kim Jong Un.
The announcement follows the launch of two similar destroyers earlier this year, part of Pyongyang’s wider push to modernise and expand its maritime military assets. In April, Kim personally oversaw the commissioning of the country’s first 5,000-tonne destroyer, the Choe Hyon, which marked a significant step in North Korea’s naval ambitions.
South Korean defence officials have suggested the vessel may have been constructed with Russian assistance, possibly in return for North Korea providing military support to Moscow amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Kim was also present during the May launch of a second warship, the Kang Kon, which initially failed but was later repaired and relaunched in June.
On Monday, workers at the Nampho Shipyard, where both destroyers were built, held a rally pledging to complete the new vessel — the third of the Choe Hyon class — by October 10, 2026, the date marking the founding anniversary of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea.
According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the upcoming destroyer is being hailed as “a powerful warship of our own type” and a symbol of North Korea’s independent naval strength.
The shipyard’s manager called on staff to meet the deadline and contribute to the regime’s efforts to strengthen the military and protect North Korea’s maritime sovereignty and national interests.
This naval escalation comes as tensions on the Korean Peninsula remain high, though there are signs of a shift in tone from South Korea following a change in leadership.
South Korea’s newly elected president, Lee Jae-myung, who came to power in a snap election last month, has taken a more conciliatory approach towards Pyongyang compared with his predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol, who was removed from office.
The Lee government has recently halted cross-border loudspeaker broadcasts — a propaganda tactic reintroduced last year in response to North Korean balloon launches filled with waste material. In what appears to be a reciprocal gesture, North Korea also ceased its own propaganda transmissions, which had previously broadcast eerie noises into the South.
