North Korea Navy Kang Kon Commissioned

Commissioned at Wonsan on 6 September 2026 at a ceremony attended by the head of state, with state media reporting it the following day. Kang Kon is the second of the 5,000-tonne Choe Hyon class, described by Pyongyang as part of its "state nuclear counteraction system" and carrying missiles analysts assess as nuclear-capable. The ship partially capsized during a failed first launch attempt in May 2025, was repaired and relaunched the following month, then completed sea trials and fired cruise missiles during weapons testing in July 2026. The commissioning coincided with the opening of a United States, South Korea and Japan trilateral exercise.