North Korea's Kim Jong Un Oversees Nuclear-Capable Cruise Missile Tests from Warship

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised tests of a nuclear-capable cruise missile and other weapons aboard the recently refurbished 5,000-ton warship Kang Kon. The ship was repaired after damage from a failed launch last year, according to state media reports on Sunday. The tests, conducted on Friday, included firing the strategic cruise missile, the main gun of the Kang Kon, its automatic cannons, electronic warfare systems, and assessments of target detection and data processing capabilities.

The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim observed the tests from the shore and instructed officials to complete the warship's trials and commission it into active service within two months. Earlier this year, at the Workers' Party Congress in February, Kim outlined five military goals, including developing submarine-launched intercontinental ballistic missiles. North Korea first revealed the warship Choi Hyun in April 2025, describing it as a significant step to extend the military's operational range and preemptive strike capability.

KCNA detailed that the warship is equipped with various systems, including anti-aircraft and anti-ship weapons, as well as ballistic and nuclear-capable cruise missiles. South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported that the South Korean military detected the cruise missile launches from the North's warship toward the East Sea on Friday. Seoul and Washington are currently analyzing the details. State television footage showed about ten cruise missiles launched consecutively into the sky from different angles during the tests.