Kim Jong-un Inspects North Korea’s First Naval Destroyer

North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, recently visited the nation’s first naval destroyer, bringing along his daughter, Kim Ju-ae, who is seen as his potential successor.

During his visit, Kim announced plans to request the construction of two additional destroyers, as well as new long-range artillery that could target Seoul, the capital of South Korea.

Kim and his daughter toured the destroyer, named Choi Hyun, on Friday. They were photographed examining the bridge and sharing a meal with the ship’s crew.

According to reports from state media, Kim expressed satisfaction with the ship’s maneuverability after it had traveled approximately 120 nautical miles during its trials.

If the remaining tests are successful, the Choi Hyun is set to be officially commissioned in June and will undertake its initial cruise around South Korea.

This marks Kim’s second inspection of this new pride of the North Korean navy within a month. On his previous visit, he supervised missile tests, even though the ship hadn’t been officially commissioned yet.

Notably, cruise missiles deployed from the Choi Hyun are theoretically capable of being nuclear-armed, something Kim highlighted previously as part of the country’s strategy to expand its nuclear capabilities.

At 5,000 tons, the Choi Hyun is touted as North Korea’s most advanced warship. The upcoming second ship of this class, Mr. Kang Kong, faced issues during its launch ceremony in May 2025, when it partially sank. However, it has since been recovered.

This week’s 120-mile test cruise was the first to showcase the ship since it was brought back. It hasn’t undergone navigational or weaponry assessments yet, and Kim has yet to visit the troubled Mr. Kang Kong.

Currently, two more destroyers are under construction, expected to finish by the end of 2026. North Korea has ambitious plans to increase destroyer production, aiming to have 12 operational by the early 2030s, potentially making it the fifth-largest destroyer fleet globally.

North Korea’s state-run news outlet reported on Friday that new 155mm self-propelled howitzers will also be deployed along the border later this year, with a range sufficient to hit Seoul.

Kim remarked, “The rapid advancement of our striking range and capability will bring notable changes and benefits to our military’s ground operations,” following a visit to a factory producing the howitzers.

Claiming that North Korea can now deploy this new artillery in formations, Kim emphasized the need to improve munition manufacturing efficiency for quicker production.

Recent changes in North Korea’s constitution have omitted references to the unification of the Korean peninsula, reflecting Kim’s viewpoint that both Koreas should be considered separate, hostile entities.

The revised constitution established North Korea’s land territory between the borders of China, Russia, and South Korea, but left maritime boundaries undefined, which likely opens up room for future negotiations over maritime rights.

Lee Jong-cheol, a political science expert, suggested that these constitutional adjustments, alongside Kim’s aggressive military expansion, could be signaling preparations for conflict.

He clarified that while recent amendments do address territory and nationality, they stop short of framing inter-Korean relations in terms of hostility.

Interestingly, Lee speculated that this could signal a potential foundation for peaceful coexistence.

Yang Moo-jin from the University of North Korean Studies noted that North Korea’s recent activities seem to depict a regime that is retreating while asserting its sovereignty against South Korea and the US.

Yang pointed out that North Korea has effectively designated its territory, signifying a clear delineation of state boundaries.

Kan Vu, a political scholar, mentioned that these moves could also be a tactical display to China and Russia, ensuring they understand the boundaries of their alliance with North Korea.

While Kim’s ambition for a modern destroyer fleet does raise concerns about potential maritime conflicts, there’s historical evidence suggesting these tensions have not escalated into land-based confrontations.