North Korea Commissions First-in-class Destroyer Choe Hyon

North Korea commissioned Choe Hyon (51) on June 23, 2026. State media Korean Central News Agency photo North Korea commissioned its largest warship to date, the 5,000-ton destroyer Choe Hyon (51), in a ceremony Tuesday in the port city Nampho.

The first-in-class Choe Hyon was built at Nampho Shipyard and launched on April 25, 2025. Prior to its commissioning, Choe Hyon conducted a number of sea trials and weapons tests, several of which were overseen by North Korea leader Kim Jong Un.

“Today, June 23, 2026, is witnessing the first page being written in a new chapter of our Navy’s history of safeguarding the sacred maritime sovereignty of our state on the strength of invincible warships,” Kim said in a speech during Choe Hyon’s commissioning, according to a translation of state media reporting.

On the order of the Central Military Commission of the Workers’ Party of Korea, Choe Hyon will be commissioned into the West Sea Fleet of the Korean People’s Army Navy and tasked with defending the region, state media Korean Central News Agency reported.

Choe Hyon was domestically made, and was armed with indigenous weapons systems. Choe Hyon, Kim said, is evidence that North Korea faces no technological barriers and can build and launch destroyers and cruisers of different classes.

“We are now switching over to the stage of building various surface and underwater combat systems and deploying them offshore and in the oceans without feeling any restrictions,” Kim said, according to the KCNA transcript.

North Korea commissioned Choe Hyon (51) on June 23, 2026. State media Korean Central News Agency photo The Korean People’s Army Navy has worked to improve its capabilities over the past three years through renewed investment from the North Korean government. The country is working to develop the KPAN into a full-fledged service equipped with nuclear weapons. The commissioning of Choe Hyon provides the KPAN with greater range that will allow North Korea to send warships – and munitions – to sea.

“Our brave Navy has displayed a matchless spirit in fighting against the pirate-like enemy, striking terror into them, as they have incessantly resorted to provocative moves taking advantage of their superiority on the sea, that is, their superior warships. Now I feel really pleased to have equipped our Navy with a sophisticated warship,” Kim said, according to the KCNA transcript.

North Korea now needs a base to moor Choe Hyon and match its new naval ambition. During the Second Plenary Meeting of the Ninth Party Central Committee held on Monday, the committee discussed the construction of new naval bases, Kim said.

“As I have mentioned before, we should give a spur to the building of large and multi-functional naval bases and push ahead with the work of building modern port cities that can serve as centers of naval operations command and culture,” reads the KCNA transcript of Kim’s speech.

Second-in-class destroyer Kang Kon (52) is slated to be commissioned in the near future, though a date has not been disclosed. Kang Kon was relaunched on June 12, 2025, following a failed launch on May 21, 2025. North Korea has two more ships of the class currently under construction. The third ship is scheduled to be completed by Oct. 10, the anniversary of the WPK’s founding.

Following Kang Kon, Kim said North Korea will launch 10,000-ton strategic cruisers one after another. North Korea uses the term “strategic” to describe nuclear weapons capability. According to North Korea’s naval construction plan for 2026-30, the country will seek to build two surface ships annually. At the same time, North Korea plans to build escort ships and special purpose ships and develop underwater weapon systems.

North Korea has released few details on the planned 10,000-ton cruiser.

In comparison, the U.S. Navy’s flight III Arleigh Burke destroyers weigh in at around 9,855 metric tons and the Zumwalt-class destroyers are 15,995 metric tons. The U.S. Navy’s Ticonderoga-class cruisers come in 9,754 metric tons. The Republic of Korea Navy KDX-II-class destroyers come in around 10,000 tons. Japan’s two Aegis system equipped vessels destroyers under construction come in at 12,000 tons with a full load reaching 14,000 tons.