North Korea's third 5,000-ton, Choe Hyon-class destroyer is under construction at the Nampo shipyard, about 50 kilometers southwest of Pyongyang, satellite images show.
According to satellite images of the Nampo shipyard taken by US-based spatial intelligence firm Vantor from March 12-28, a large crane on a shipyard has been operational and a floating crane has been moving around the new vessel.
According to Rep. Yu Yong-weon of the conservative People Power Party who obtained the images, these images indicate a destroyer is being built. The Choe Hyon-class destroyers are equipped with strategic cruise missiles with a range of up to 2,500 kilometers, making them capable of reaching Japan's Okinawa.
Yu also noted that North Korea's naval modernization is being carried out at a rapid pace, backed by Russia's military technology support, which also shows North Korea's growing nuclear ambition to turn Choe Hyun-class destroyers into nuclear missile launch platforms. The lawmaker cited a similarity in superstructure designs of naval masts and radars between North Korea's Choe Hyon-class destroyers and Russia's Karakurt-class corvettes.
According to the North's state media Rodong Shinmun, North Korea is preparing for the third Choe Hyon-class destroyer's launch to the water in October, which will mark the 81st anniversary of the foundation of North Korea's Workers' Party.
Its first Choe Hyon-class destroyer was seen belching smoke, which, according to Yu, signals that the vessel was preparing for deployment. The second Choe Hyun-class destroyer could not launch to the water due to serious damage on the launch date in 2025.
This stands in contrast with South Korea's delay in mounting SM-6 missiles and SM-3 interceptors for the KDX III Batch II program for Jeongjo the Great-class Aegis destroyers, Yu added.
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