North Korea vows nuclear-armed navy as US ally drills open
This picture taken on September 6, 2026 and released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on September 7, 2026 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un touring the destroyer "Kang Kon" during a commissioning ceremony for the destroyer at Wonsan Port in Kangwon Province. (AFP Photo/KCNA via KNS)
Leader Kim Jong Un vowed to build North Korea’s navy into a nuclear-armed force, state media reported on Sept. 7 as U.S. allies’ maritime drills kicked off.
This week’s maneuvers involving Japan, South Korea and the United States were established in 2023 in what officials called an effort to deter Pyongyang’s missile and nuclear threats.
Kim’s comments came at the commissioning of the Kang Kon, a warship that partially capsized when launched in May 2025, in the port city of Wonsan on Sept. 6, the official Korean Central News Agency reported.
