Kim Jong Un Và Giấc Mơ Đại Dương: Từ Ảo Tưởng Đến Thảm Hoạ Hải Quân

When people talk about Kim Jong-un killing the military, the first thing that comes to mind is the image of him in his military uniform, with his hand pointing to the map, his eyes closed, and his dignified attitude. The images published by the North Korean state-run media all build on the image of him as a dignified, dignified and conscious dictator in every decision. Sometimes, the great dictator Kim also revealed his pride and joy for the defense achievements of the Communist Party of Korea. However, between a series of dramatic and bold images, there is a special and unusual image that Kim Jong-un himself may want to erase from history. In that image, Kim Jong-un removed the navy hat from the head of the Kim Minjik navy commander and put it on his head. The two people smiled at each other. Nothing was different. At that moment, another Kim Jong-un was recorded. He was cheerful, unrestrained, and even had a bit of a temper. But what made that image more noteworthy was that it broke the established custom of the North Korean military. The former leader of the self-proclaimed army was not allowed to cosplay as a captain. In the eyes of observers, that act showed the rare favor that Kim Jong-un gave to the navy, a force that was seen as a child in the North Korean military system, a place that has long been taken over by the army. However, that favor led to a painful fall, not only for the removal of Kim, but also for his dream of the ocean. On May 21, 2025, in Thanh Tan Port City, Kim Jong-un set up one of the largest shipyards in the North Korean North. An auspicious ceremony was held on the port bridge. The ceremony of the destruction of the Yangtze River was the second 5,000-ton ship in the history of North Korea. Kim Jong-un and his daughter, Kim Joo-ah, came to visit. The red carpet, the name of the military, the colorful flowers, all the details were meant to portray the glorious moments when Kim Jong-un and his fleet sailed on the big ocean. However, the strange thing is that after the ceremony of the destruction of the national media channels, the Korean Central News Agency, KCNA, remained completely silent. No pictures of the new ship, no rumors about the new attack of the defense industry. Meanwhile, netizens are full of questions. How could they miss the chance to show off the precious treasure? The answer did not come from Pyongyang, but from Europe and the United States. Last night, two of the world's leading satellite companies, Airbus Europe and Marsar Technologies of the United States, released new satellite images, showing the whole scene of the sinking. In the image, the destroyer Jang Kien-ho was not shaken, no one defended, but was leaning on the road, slipping into the water. The tail was submerged, but the ship's nose was still stuck on the rope. A maritime accident means not that the shipwrecker has not become a dead body, but that the shipwrecker has not died. Kim Jong-un's face, the pride of the navy, and the image of the navy crew happy every day, all shattered in just a moment. When satellite images spread across international media, North Korean state-run media had no way to avoid it. The CNA had to break the rare silence to provide an official explanation. During the process of the submarine's construction of a new submarine, due to the uncontrolled command, unnecessary operations, a serious accident occurred. It was a dry technical word, but the hidden behind it was a big wound on the teacher's face. More specifically, the explanation was that the shipwrecker could not ensure the integrity of the system. The tail of the ship had fallen off the front, causing the ship's body to lose its balance and coolness. The bottom of the shell was cracked, the seawater poured into the shipwreck, tilted to one side, the ship's nose stuck right on the slope. The accident not only caused the shipwreck to fail, but also caused the cry for peace to become a joke on the international scene. Right on the scene, according to the Pyongyang media, Kim Jong-un himself witnessed all the accidents and anger, hitting the defense officials for their absolute cowardice, irresponsibility, and lack of experience and time. He asked to open a full meeting of the Central Committee of the Party in June, to seek responsibility and deal with the relevant individuals. An event was prepared to show the Navy's determination to become self-reliant and open. The Navy hat that Kim Jong-un happily put on during the photo shoot with Governor Kim Myong-suk is no longer a symbol of goodwill, but has become evidence of crime for failure. In an attempt to rescue the captured image, the CNA immediately announced that Kim Jong-un had urgently commenced the work of repairing the ship. The deadline was set at 10 days. The technicians, as described by the North Korean media, are encouraged by the spirit of the leader, all affirming that this injury is just a small scratch, we assure that we will complete the mission. The words of the soul immediately shook the heads of international experts. According to estimates from Navy experts, the dismantling of the ship was a test of the balance system, electronics and power, then the test of the entire operating efficiency usually takes at least a few months, and that is with countries with developed naval industries. As for North Korea, a country that is both poor in resources, and limited in technology, it is not just a matter of time, but also a question of whether it can be completed or not. On social networks, social media, and many other places, the comments are as follows. I don't know how many people will be taken to the coal mine to atone for their sins this time. I don't know who will be shot for losing their face. Not long after the answer was clear, Commander Kim Min-sik, who used to be close to Kim Jong-un, once gave a symbol hat to the leader, has disappeared in an important military meeting. According to many sources, he was dismissed and temporarily detained for investigation. Along with him is Deputy Minister of Defense Lee Han-tien, and Director of the Thaing Tan Shipyard. It is estimated that the coal mine will be pushed into the mine as a catastrophic failure. But only 22 days later, North Korean media broke the news that the ship had been completely restored and re-organized successfully. The Japanese Labor Papers, the official source agency of the North Korean Workers' Party, donated up to 5 newspapers to praise the victory of the miracle repair. The newspaper admitted that the hull of the ship had a big scratch, but emphasized that with the spirit of fighting against death under the leadership of General Kim, the technical team has completed the task in record time. After the repair of the hull, Kim Jong-un personally named General Kim Jong-un as the first general of the North Korean People's Army. In the photos published by the National Press, Kim Jong-un and his daughter Kim Joo-ae stood on the ship, smiling, flowers were flying in the sky. Kim stated that Kim Jong-un would soon be deployed by the Navy, and that North Korea would start building two more modern warships, not to let any force stop the unwavering advance of the North Korean People's Navy. But international media is not easy to believe. Everything is used in the same sentence. North Korea claims to have repaired the ship. The two statements clearly reflect a common doubt. This doubt is not unfounded, because satellite images do not record Kim Jong-un's landing moments. The ship soon appeared in the water, as if in the middle of the night. Several times, North Korean state-run media have built a stage to show the Supreme Leader. No matter what the truth is, it is certain that Kim Jong-un's heart dreams of a fleet sailing to the seas, an empire named after him that has never been extinguished. Kim Jong-un's Navy dreams of sailing to the seas Kim Jong-un does not hide his desire to sail to the seas. In recent years, he has often visited shipbuilding factories, naval bases, and observed exercises on the Tangboat Sea, which have gone beyond the two-time leaderships Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-un. Some of the people who left the Navy were also promoted among the leaders of the United Forces, which was a rare case in the North Korean military. An example is the Governor Kim Chi-thut, who was appointed as Deputy General Secretary of the People's Army. This is not just a personal promotion, but also a demonstration that the Navy is gradually being given a new role in the military power structure of North Korea. Analysts say one of the reasons why the Navy is promoted is the desire to build a nuclear deterrent in a three-dimensional model, which means that it must be able to launch nuclear warheads from three bases, on land, in the air, and underwater. In this, the Navy plays a key role with nuclear submarines, a weapon that allows North Korea to maintain counterattack capability even when the territory is suddenly attacked. In fact, the North Korean Navy has always been the most vulnerable army. Although it has more than 800 warships, the largest number in the world, according to some reports, but most of them are small, attack boats or mini-submarines. Until now, the North Korean Navy can only operate along the coast, not be able to fight off the coast. According to the report of the International Military Surveillance Organization in 2025, the average capacity of North Korean warships ranges from dozens to hundreds of tons. The largest ship currently, the Latianhaw, also only reaches about 1,500 to 2,000 tons. Equivalent to the capacity of the Chinese Coast Guard ship, which is completely inferior to the fleet of countries in the region. To make it easier to imagine, just compare with the major ports in the region. Japan has the Kongo class with a standard capacity of about 7,250 tons. South Korea has the Sejong-Daepyeong class up to 7,650 tons. China has deployed the 055 class which can reach 11,000 tons. These numbers make the Latianhaw of North Korea no different from an airship compared to an aircraft carrier. Moreover, the design of the ship based on the technology from the 1950s of the Soviet Union has been outdated and cannot meet the requirements of modern warfare. Therefore, the birth of the two 5,000-ton warships, the Latianhaw and the Kongo class, is described as a historical breakthrough. According to the description of state media, it is a symbol of the Navy's which proves that North Korea is no longer just a military base in the ocean, but can also go to the ocean. Kim Jong-un said in front of thousands of workers and officials that North Korea needs to have more advanced frigates, multi-purpose destroyers to be able to fight in areas far from the mainland. That message is not just a declaration of strategy, but also a shout of encouragement for the defense industry. Although the power of North Korea is limited, the people of Pyongyang are still determined to open the way to the big ocean, despite the limitations of reality. For a long time, state media has not stopped affirming that under the leadership of Comrade Kim Jong-un, the People's Army of North Korea is the most powerful force in the world, even the entire universe. If you only count on the paper, those words are partly not wrong. The country has only 26 million people, but maintains 1.3 million military personnel and about 600,000 military personnel, one of the largest military branches in the world. However, if you look at the quality, experts say that North Korean soldiers are not well trained, weapons are largely lost, many tanks and anti-aircraft weapons have been lost. In 2024, after North Korea sent troops to support Russia in the Russian-occupied Kursk region, only half a year later, this force has lost more than half. Despite the use of weapons provided by Russia, North Korean soldiers still cannot compete with the conditions of modern warfare, revealing the shortcomings in training and tactics. In that context, placing an army in a North Korean area with almost no technology seems like a risky gamble. But for Kim Jong-un, it is a symbol, a way to show power, a symbol for the image of an overthrown leader and the spirit of self-reliance. Thoi Hien Hao, a miracle or legend? On April 24, 2025, at Gangnam, North Korean city, a ship named Thoi Hien Hao, which is the largest warship that North Korea has ever built, was officially launched. The ship is about 144 meters long, has a capacity of up to 5,000 tons, equivalent to half the length of the most modern Lufthansa aircraft carrier of the U.S. Navy. In the eyes of the Pyongyang government, Thoi Hien Hao is not only a warship, but also a political figure. However, despite the turbulent atmosphere on the propaganda side of the image of the ship's birthplace, it is difficult to record the exact moment when the ship sank. Hiding such a meticulous image makes analysts no doubt that North Korea is worried that the world will discover something. But even if the image is hidden, North Korea still loudly declares that Thoi Hien Hao is a historic breakthrough. According to the CNA newspaper, the ship is equipped with 44 straight-bubble tubes to launch a ground-to-air missile, 30 other tubes for a cruise missile and a ground-to-ground missile. The ship is also described as capable of anti-submarine, anti-submarine and even anti-missile missile defense. In particular, North Korea claims it can launch both hypersonic and tactical ballistic missiles. More impressively, the National Television also affirmed that Thoi Hien Hao was built entirely with effort, without the help of any country. The entire project, from design, construction to completion, only took 400 days, which is more than a year. This number makes the world confused. Even with powerful countries like China, Japan or South Korea, to complete a medium-sized destroyer also takes 2-3 years. In Europe, this time can last from 3 to 6 years, while in the United States, with complex technical, experimental and equipment processes, a large ship sometimes takes 7 or 8 years to complete. So North Korea, a country that is subject to international sanctions, rare technical resources, has never been in any major war, has to face everything to complete a hypersonic destroyer in more than a year. It is easy to understand when the international military only knows doubt. Some experts say Pyongyang's statement is just an exaggeration, it may even be a product of the Russian government. The world military community quickly recognizes the strange coincidences with Russian warship designs. On the body of the ship, the prominent features such as the radar tower, the shape of the launch tube and the main turret all have the style of the Russian Navy. Specifically, the front turret can be a 127mm or 130mm In addition, the sensors on the ship include the radar network, the ground radar 362, three power-controlled radars and a pair of positioning radars. All have Russian technology. People even discovered a modern air defense weapon system. It is believed to be Pantsir-M, embedded on the body of the ship. This is the latest advanced anti-aircraft defense turret developed by Russia, combined between the turret and the anti-aircraft gun is seen as a guardian angel for large warships. The presence of Pantsir-M has shocked the military. Not a few people conclude with the current technology and resource capabilities. North Korea cannot develop this system on its own. Thus, it is highly likely that Russia has donated or at least handed over technology, equipment, even materials and advisory teams to help complete the Pantsir-M. Social media even said that this ship is not a symbol of self-sacrifice, but a meaningful gift from the Moscow brothers. Some people doubt that from the radar-mounted ship to the fire-thrower can all be a gift from Russia. Even experts speculate that Russia must have sent a team of engineers to inspect the Pantsir-M. With all these doubts, the Pantsir-M does not seem to be a symbol of self-sacrifice, but a result of a special aid campaign from Russia in exchange for the loyalty of North Korea in the Korean War. The Pantsir-M has made the Pyongyang leaders think that they can re-establish that symbol of self-sacrifice. But without the support of Russia and its allies, how can the Pantsir-M have the capability to go to the deep sea? But how can the Pantsir-M to go to the deep sea? The Pantsir-M was built on a deserted dock in a large military dock, a place where only small ships or patrol ships weighed less than 1,000 tonnes. The Pantsir-M was built The construction of a 5,000-ton frigate is no different from a village girl who suddenly takes off her clothes and enters the royal festival, which is nothing but a strange thing. Even when North Korea has a complete design from Russia, the ability to optimize technology, production and completion still takes time, experience and synchronized systems. But Pyongyang chose to go the shortcut again. The fire broke out and the price to pay was a pile of humiliating ships. Not only that, the infrastructure at the port of Thanh Tan is completely unsuitable for a large warship, not dry, does not have a port, or equipment for a large warship. Meanwhile, the method of navigation that North Korea uses again is horizontal, a technique that is only suitable for ships with a wide bottom, as thin as a cargo ship or a cruise ship, not a warship with heavy weapons and a high center of gravity. It is a smaller ship than the frigate, very much, accurately calculated to each detail, while North Korea does not even have a modern heavy-duty equipment. The ship sank in the middle of the harbor, becoming a good bait for the International Space Station. Images of the ship's collapse spread quickly, following a never-before-seen turbulence. Under the pressure of the commander, who had just led the naval force and smiled bitterly on the day of the assassination, officers had to think of every way to hide their humiliation. A few days later, Jang Kien-hao was covered with a layer of sea green to cover his frozen body, but this action was no different from what he did that day. The ship's deck was more prominent on satellite images, easily recognized among the grayed-out landscape. Even a series of images also recorded the soldiers using balloons and ropes to pull the ship parallel to the board. After more than 10 days of turmoil, Jang Kien-hao was transferred to La Tien Port, a larger naval base with more support equipment, and then, according to the tradition, transferred from defeat to victory. The CNA quickly reported that the ship had been successfully repaired and prepared for the Navy. Of course, this could not be prevented under the suspicion of experts. Director of the Nuclear Security Research Institute at the Korean Defense Analysis Institute said that if the damage is only external damage, it is possible to repair it in 20 days. But if the sea water has touched the deck, destroyed the weapon control system and radar, the ship will be difficult to reach combat status. In fact, the satellite images after the repair showed that Jang Kien-hao had not been able to install the main gun, did not cover the horizontal launch tubes, and did not see the appearance of any radar system to locate or control the firepower. This made the military question whether this ship was just a pile of sand, not equipped with a real combat system. The accident with Jang Kien-hao was not just a failed submarine accident, it was a miniature image of the entire military development strategy that Kim Jong-un was promoting, a strategy that carried the spirit of martial arts, a kind of ambition to go ahead of the power, transcend the reality, and the self-respect of the technical calculation. Kim Jong-un's naval dream, a dream of a fleet that can cross the borders, from the South China Sea to the Pacific, is still just a dream decorated with fireworks, satellite images and proud statements.