North Korea's Kim orders navy to build 10,000-tonne destroyer and develop secret underwater weapons

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered the navy to build a 10,000-tonne destroyer and develop secret underwater weapons, ahead of a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Pyongyang from June 8 to 9. On Thursday, Kim supervised a naval test aboard the 5,000-tonne destroyer Kang Kon and observed the warship Choe Hyon. He also called for an exponential expansion of the country's nuclear arsenal. The Kang Kon had partially capsized during a launch ceremony in May 2025 and had to be repaired.