DPRK Plans to Build Third Choi Hyun Class Destroyer in a Year

North Korea’s leadership has instructed its shipbuilders to build a new Choi Hyun class destroyer within one year.

The state-run KCNA reported that the ship should be built by October 10, 2026.

This date was chosen not because of technical deadlines, but for symbolic reasons – October 10 marks the anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party of Korea.

The Nampo Shipyard team decided to start construction on July 21.

“The launch of the new destroyer will bring the country closer to the realization of the sacred goal of raising the DPRK’s naval power to the level of a 21st-century state,” the statement reads.

Shipyard Director Yoon Chi Gore claimed that the workers are proud to participate in the project and recalled the first destroyer of this class, launched in April 2025.

Earlier, on May 21, an accident occurred during the launch of the second ship of the Choi Hyun class – the hull split.

DPRK leader Kim Jong-un, who attended the ceremony, sharply criticized the organizers, calling the incident “criminal irresponsibility.” Work to restore the damaged destroyer began in June.

These 5000-ton North Korean ships are multi-purpose missile destroyers. They are equipped with two types of vertical launchers: a larger one for strike weapons and a smaller one for air defense missiles. The total number of cells is 74.

Artillery weapons include a 127-mm automatic cannon and a short-range anti-aircraft artillery system that visually resembles the Soviet 30-mm AK-230 and AK-630 systems.

Air defense is provided by the North Korean anti-aircraft gun system, which resembles the Russian Pantsir-M and is located at the stern of the ship.

Anti-ship and strike weapons are installed in shipping containers on both sides and probably consist of eight Hwasal-2 missiles capable of hitting moving targets. Additionally, each side is equipped with four launchers for North Korea’s analog of the Spike ER/NLOS missile.

Also, both sides feature twin-tube 533-mm torpedo tubes, partially covered by a radio-absorbing structure.

The radar system is represented by four panel antennas, which, based on the design, appear to be made using active phased array technology. They perform multi-purpose functions – from airspace monitoring to weapon guidance.

An interesting element of the Choi Hyun is also the installation of radar antennas on the bow and stern of the ship for guiding anti-aircraft missiles, which probably indicates the use of radio-command missiles, similar to the Tor missiles.