Seoul (South Korea), 6 June (LaPresse/AP) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has observed sea trials of the 5,000-tonne destroyer Kang Kon, which has been repaired following a failed launch in 2025, and has announced an acceleration of the programme to equip the navy with nuclear capabilities. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Kim has prioritised the construction of new 10,000-tonne destroyers and the development of advanced underwater weapons. The initiative comes on the eve of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to North Korea and just days after the unveiling of a new uranium enrichment plant, intended for the production of nuclear weapons fuel. Kim reiterated the goal of expanding the country’s nuclear arsenal ‘at an exponential rate’. Images released by state media show the leader accompanied by his daughter Kim Ju Ae, who is increasingly present at official events and considered by some observers to be a possible future heir. Analysts, however, remain sceptical about the actual operational capability of the Kang Kon and the new naval capabilities claimed by Pyongyang.