North Korea launches Choe Hyon destroyer, vows to break “imperialist” sea dominance

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un participated in the launch ceremony of a new multi-purpose destroyer named Choe Hyon, aimed at combating “imperialist pirates”.

“In the presence of the General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, Chairman of State Affairs of the DPRK, the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, a solemn launch ceremony for the new destroyer was held at the Nampo Shipyard on April 25 — the day marking the founding of the first revolutionary armed forces of Korea,” North Korean stat-run media reported, per Caliber.Az.

Cho Chun Ryong, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, stated that the destroyer was built in “over 400 days.” He emphasised that the ship would serve as a major reinforcement to the DPRK Navy, thanks to its new and powerful weaponry.

The ceremony took place at the Nampo Shipyard. According to the report, the destroyer has a displacement of 5,000 tons and is equipped with “the most powerful weapons.”

During the event, the destroyer was formally handed over to Park Gwang Sob, Commander of the East Sea Fleet of the Korean People’s Army Navy. In his remarks, Park declared that the construction of the vessel fulfilled “the cherished desire to possess the mightiest weapons capable of breaking the maritime dominance of the arrogant imperialist pirates.”

Kim Jong Un, quoted by the state radio, stressed the historical importance of the destroyer's launch, calling it essential for “creating the power to consistently defend the maritime sovereignty” of the DPRK. He described the event as “the starting point on the path to building an advanced maritime power.”

The destroyer's unveiling comes amid ongoing efforts by Kim Jong Un to strengthen the DPRK's military capabilities. On February 28, during tests of strategic cruise missiles, Kim had underscored the necessity of enhancing the combat readiness of the country's nuclear forces. He emphasised that North Korea must be prepared to use nuclear weapons for defensive purposes and called for more consistent improvements in the combat capability of its nuclear-armed forces.

By Tamilla Hasanova