North Korea has inaugurated its most significant warship to date, the 5,000-ton Choe Hyon, armed with nuclear-capable missiles. This development marks North Korea’s ambition to extend naval power far beyond its coastline.
A photograph by North Korean state media featured Kim Jong-un at the commissioning ceremony held at Nampo port, southwest of Pyongyang. The Choe Hyon represents the effort to build and nuclearize the navy, following its initial test in April of the previous year.
Kim Jong-un stated that the navy is entering “full-fledged service,” and the program of equipping the navy with nuclear armaments is advancing as planned.
Historically, North Korea’s navy has been inferior to South Korea’s and U.S. fleets in the region. The outdated fleet, primarily built during the Soviet era, has been limited to coastal defense.
Recently, Kim’s naval efforts have aligned with supplying Russia with weapons and troops in the Ukraine conflict. Russia reciprocates with oil, food, and technology to upgrade North Korea’s military capabilities. South Korea’s analysts noted that recent missile tests from the Choe Hyon show signs of Russian influence, particularly a supersonic cruise missile.
North Korea traditionally focused its nuclear arsenal on ballistic missiles due to the absence of nuclear-proficient aircraft or submarines. The emphasis has shifted to the navy, with efforts to launch ballistic missiles from submarines, introduce nuclear-powered submarines, and develop underwater drones capable of nuclear payloads.
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