North Korea orders navy to build 10,000-tonne destroyer

North Korean state media reported on Saturday that the country’s leader ordered the navy to build a 10,000-tonne destroyer and develop secret underwater weapons. The directive was issued during a naval test on Thursday in which the leader boarded one 5,000-tonne destroyer and observed a second 5,000-tonne warship.

Background on the inspected vessels One of the inspected destroyers had partially capsized during a launch ceremony in May 2025 and required repairs before a second launch in June 2025. State media also reported that the leader called for an “exponential” expansion of the country’s atomic arsenal during a separate visit to a nuclear material production facility on Thursday.

Upcoming visit by China’s leader The naval inspection occurred days before China’s leader is scheduled to visit Pyongyang from June 8 to 9. A senior analyst at South Korea’s Institute for National Unification told Reuters that this was the first time North Korea had mentioned plans for a 10,000-tonne destroyer and suggested the timing may relate to the upcoming visit.