NKorea's Kim Claims Progress on Nuclear-armed Navy as New Warship is Placed into Service

North Korea has officially commissioned a new 5,000-ton destroyer, the Choe Hyon, which leader Kim Jong Un hailed as a symbol of the country's expanding naval and nuclear power. State media reported Kim's remarks at a Tuesday ceremony in the western port of Nampo, where he declared that warships like the Choe Hyon demonstrate the planned progression of nuclear armament within the navy.

The Choe Hyon is tasked with defending North Korea's western coast. Since its unveiling in April 2025, Kim has promoted the destroyer as a significant advancement in bolstering the military's operational reach and preemptive strike capabilities. State media claims the warship is equipped with advanced systems, including anti-aircraft and anti-ship weapons, as well as nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles.

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It has clearly become a thing of the past when our navy existed as a force for defending the sea off our land. It is rising into a full-fledged service equipped with strategic means as the program of equipping the Navy with nuclear weapons is following its planned course unerringly.

South Korean officials and experts speculate that the vessel was likely built with Russian support, given the deepening military ties between the two nations. However, some analysts have expressed skepticism regarding its readiness for active service. North Korea has conducted numerous tests with the Choe Hyon in recent months, including launches of what it described as nuclear-capable cruise missiles from the ship.

Kim asserted that the navy is no longer solely a defensive force but is evolving into a fully equipped service with strategic means, aligning with the nuclear armament program. He has increasingly focused on naval capabilities, including the construction of a nuclear-powered submarine, and has previously claimed that arming the navy with nuclear weapons would fundamentally alter the defense of its maritime sovereignty. Amid rising inter-Korean tensions, Kim has also reiterated his disregard for the Northern Limit Line, a maritime boundary in the western sea established after the Korean War.

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It has clearly become a thing of the past when our navy existed as a force for defending the sea off our land. It is rising into a full-fledged service equipped with strategic means as the program of equipping the Navy with nuclear weapons is following its planned course unerringly.