North Korea Commissions First-in-class Destroyer Choe Hyon

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