North Korea Commissions Second Destroyer Amid US, South Korea, Japan Drills

North Korea commissioned its second 5,000-ton Choe Hyon-class guided-missile destroyer, Kang Kon, on Sunday, September 6, in the eastern port city of Wonsan.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was present at the commissioning, as he pushes to upgrade the country’s naval capabilities with nuclear weapons. On Monday, September 7, the United States, South Korea, and Japan began five days of "Freedom Edge" joint military training in international waters off South Korea’s southern resort island of Jeju. North Korea’s newly appointed defense minister, Kim Song Gi, criticized these ongoing drills and vowed to punish what he described as hostile forces threatening the country’s national security.

Kim Song Gi stated that if the US and its allies attempt to provoke a new military confrontation, North Korea will take strong and reflective countermeasures from the standpoint of power. He also criticized US drills with Japan and Australia and the reported move to bring an American multi-domain mobile task force to South Korea. US President Donald Trump unilaterally curtailed joint military exercises with South Korea in August, citing his very good relationship with Kim Jong Un.