North Korea Commissions First Guided-Missile Destroyer, Plans Cruiser

On June 23, 2026, North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea – DPRK) formally commissioned its largest-ever warship, the first of four 5,000-ton Choe Hyon-class guided-missile destroyers (DDG) currently under construction. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korean leader Kim Jong Un presided over the commissioning of the Choe Hyon (51) on Wednesday at the Nampo shipyard on the country’s western coast. During the commissioning ceremony, Kim Jong Un used the occasion to outline the next phase of North Korea’s naval modernization program. He announced that the second destroyer in Choe Hyuon-class, Kang Kon (52) is expected to enter service in the near future and revealed plans to follow the current destroyer program with a new class of 10,000-ton cruisers. My story for Naval News, here.