North Korea Plans To Build A 5,000 Ton Bobot Destroyer Next Year

North Korean destroyer Choe Hyon. (Source: KCNA)

JAKARTA - North Korea plans to build a new 5,000-ton destroyer in October next year, state media reported on Tuesday, following the launch of two similar military vessels earlier this year.

Workers at the shipyard in the western coastal city of Nampho held a demonstration the day before, vowing to "build another new destroyer on October 10, 2026," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported, reported The Korea Times July 22.

It is known that October 10 in North Korea is commemorated as the day the ruling Korean Labor Party was founded.

This year, North Korea launched two destroyers in the near future. The first launch of the 5,000-ton destroyer Choe Hyon in April in its bid to increase its naval warfare capabilities.

In June, another destroyer from the same class, Kang Kon, was launched after repairs, a month after the ship capsized and suffered damage during its first launch attempt in May.

In the launch ceremony in June, Pyongyang Leader Kim Jong-un ordered the construction of two Kang Kon-class destroyers or larger every year starting in 2026.

KCNA quoted the Nampho shipyard manager as urging workers to complete the construction of a new ship on time to "enliven the party's plan to build a strong military."

North Korea is expected to shift its focus to the construction of naval vessels as part of an effort to diversify delivery systems for its nuclear weapons and missiles, which are reportedly in the final stages of development.

Separately, the South Korean military said the ship was likely developed with Russian aid, possibly in exchange for the deployment of thousands of troops to help Moscow fight in Ukraine, according to The Defense Post.