Kim Jong-un Attends Launch of 5,000-Ton Destroyer at North Korean Naval Shipyard

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended a launch ceremony for a newly built 5,000-ton multipurpose destroyer on April 25, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The event was held at the Nampo Shipyard and marked the anniversary of the founding of the first armed forces of the Korean revolution.

The destroyer, named the Choe Hyon, is the first in a new class of North Korean warships. It is named after Choe Hyon, an anti-Japanese guerrilla fighter and military figure from the country's revolutionary history. The ship was launched by order of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), personally signed by Kim.

Kim was accompanied at the ceremony by his daughter, Kim Ju Ae. In his speech, he described the new warship as a strategic move to reinforce North Korea's maritime sovereignty. He called it “an important starting point on the path to building an advanced maritime power.”

He added, “The security environment of our country is very serious right now,” and stated that “strong pre-emptive attack capabilities” serve as the “most convincing war deterrent.” He emphasized that the scope of such attacks has “no limit.”

Jo Chun Ryong, a secretary of the WPK, said the destroyer had been built “within 400-odd days” using only North Korean technology and resources. He described it as being equipped with the country's “most powerful weapons.” The ship is expected to be officially handed over to the navy and enter service early next year.

Recent satellite analysis suggests that this new class of destroyer may be capable of carrying multiple vertically launched missiles, expanding its offensive potential.

In the broader context, Kim criticized what he described as increasing threats to North Korea’s security. He pointed to recent joint U.S.–South Korean military drills involving B-1B bombers and fighter jets. The North has consistently condemned these exercises as provocative, while the South and the U.S. maintain they are defensive in nature.