Kim Jong-un Hails Nuclear-Armed Navy as New Destroyer Enters Service
06:54 GMT 24.06.2026 (Updated: 07:06 GMT 24.06.2026)
© REUTERS KCNA
Subscribe
North Korea has officially commissioned the Choe Hyon, a 5,000-ton destroyer that Pyongyang describes as a symbol of the country's advancing naval and nuclear capabilities.
At a ceremony in the western port of Nampo, Kim declared that the era of the navy existing merely as a coastal defense force is over.
The Choe Hyon represents a strategic shift — a full-fledged service equipped with strategic means, as the nuclear arming of the navy progresses on schedule.
The destroyer, fitted with anti-aircraft and anti-ship weapons, is armed with nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles. The vessel is successfully tested in recent months, including cruise missile launches from the vessel
North Korea's naval ambitions are no longer limited to defending its shores, Kim said, as quoted by Korean Central News Agency.
The Choe Hyon is designed to project power, extend operational reach, and strengthen preemptive strike capabilities.
The Choe Hyon represents a strategic shift — a full-fledged service equipped with strategic means, as the nuclear arming of the navy progresses on schedule.
The destroyer, fitted with anti-aircraft and anti-ship weapons, is armed with nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles. The vessel is successfully tested in recent months, including cruise missile launches from the vessel
North Korea's naval ambitions are no longer limited to defending its shores, Kim said, as quoted by Korean Central News Agency.
The Choe Hyon is designed to project power, extend operational reach, and strengthen preemptive strike capabilities.
