IRIA News

5 minute read

North Korean Navy conducted test-firing of multiple advanced missile systems from its newly launched and highly touted 5,000-ton destroyer, signaling a new and more assertive phase in Pyongyang’s military expansion.

The Choe Hyon vessel is North Korea’s first domestically produced destroyer-class warship. The development of the warship has been heralded by the state-owned media outlets as a breakthrough in the modernization of the nation’s naval capabilities.

The vessel has been named after a prominent figure in North Korea’s revolutionary history. Choe Hyon was a senior military leader and close ally of Kim Il Sung, the country’s founding leader and Kim Jong Un’s grandfather. Naming such a high-profile warship after him underscores the symbolic continuity the regime seeks between its current military build-up and its revolutionary past.

According to a report published by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on April 30, 2025, North Korea’s Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un observed a series of weapons, including long-range missiles, tests conducted from the warship earlier this week.

The tests included the launch of supersonic and strategic cruise missiles, an anti-aircraft missile, automatic guns, and electronic jamming weapons. State media framed the demonstration as a testament to the vessel’s formidable array of both offensive and defensive systems.

The destroyer was unveiled last week at a ceremony at the western port of Nampo, attended by Kim and high-ranking officials. “A breakthrough,” Kim called the construction of the Choe Hyon, stressing that it represented a pivotal step in revamping North Korea’s naval forces. The leader went further to say that the destroyer will be officially deployed early next year.

This latest advancement is seen as part of a broader push by Pyongyang to enhance its naval strike force and integrate nuclear weapons more extensively into its maritime strategy.

Strategic shift toward naval nuclearization

Kim Jong Un’s presence at both the ship’s launch and the subsequent weapons testing underscores the symbolic and strategic importance North Korea is placing on its naval modernization. The KCNA report highlighted Kim’s satisfaction with the destroyer’s “combination of powerful strike weapons and conventional defenses.” He was quoted as giving orders to accelerate the nuclear armament of the country’s naval forces.

“The acquisition of a nuclear-powered submarine would be his next big step in strengthening his navy,” the KCNA reported, reflecting Kim’s long-term ambitions to transform North Korea’s traditionally limited navy into a nuclear-capable maritime force.

Analysts note that while North Korea has historically focused its military development on ballistic missile programs and land-based forces, recent years have seen a marked pivot toward naval capabilities. This includes the construction of submarines that may be capable of launching ballistic missiles, and now, the addition of a destroyer designed with both strategic and tactical weapon systems.

Tensions with the United States and allies

Kim also used the platform of the destroyer launch to once again lash out at what he described as “escalating U.S.-led hostilities” targeting North Korea. This rhetoric is consistent with Pyongyang’s longstanding narrative that views joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea, along with U.S. military presence in the region, as existential threats.

The unveiling of the Choe Hyon and its associated weapons tests comes at a time of heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The United States and South Korea have been conducting joint military drills intended to deter North Korean aggression. In response, North Korea has ramped up both its missile testing and military demonstrations.

According to the South Korean military, North Korea has conducted dozens of missile tests since 2022, including launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), solid-fuel missiles, and short-range projectiles designed to evade missile defense systems. However, the debut of a warship with integrated missile systems and electronic warfare capabilities introduces a new dynamic in the region’s already fragile security environment.

Implications for regional security

The deployment of a destroyer equipped with “supersonic and strategic cruise missiles” could significantly alter the balance of power in the East Sea (Sea of Japan) and beyond. While North Korea has yet to demonstrate a proven ability to maintain a blue-water navy, the construction of the Choe Hyon signals a desire to project power far beyond its coastal waters.

Experts point out that the move to accelerate the nuclear arming of the navy could be part of a strategy to evade existing missile defense networks that focus predominantly on land-based threats. Submarine-launched and sea-based missiles are harder to detect and preempt, posing serious challenges to early-warning systems in South Korea, Japan, and the United States.

What comes next?

Though Kim announced that the destroyer will be deployed next year, the exact operational capabilities of the Choe Hyon remain unknown. Independent verification of North Korea’s technological claims is difficult due to the country’s isolation and strict control over information.

Nonetheless, the message from Pyongyang is clear: North Korea is committed to bolstering its military capabilities across all domains, land, air, and now increasingly at sea, with a special emphasis on nuclear readiness.

As Kim Jong Un continues to pursue these ambitions, observers around the world will be watching closely for the next move, possibly the long-promised nuclear-powered submarine that would further elevate North Korea’s strategic threat.

For now, the launch and armament of the Choe Hyon destroyer serve as both a domestic symbol of strength and a stark reminder to the international community that North Korea’s military evolution is far from over.