Pyongyang: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has overseen another test-firing of strategic cruise missiles from the Choe Hyon destroyer, state media reported, as South Korea and the United States commenced their annual springtime military drills.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim observed the test via video, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a “powerful and reliable nuclear war deterrent.” State media published photos showing Kim’s daughter, Ju-ae, overseeing the test, marking a notable presence. This follows a similar cruise missile test from the same destroyer last week, during which Kim’s daughter was absent.
Pyongyang’s reference to “strategic” weapons indicates potential nuclear capabilities. The test coincided with the start of the Freedom Shield exercise by Seoul and Washington, an 11-day military drill. North Korea has historically criticized these exercises, viewing them as rehearsals for invasion, though the allies assert they are defensive. According to KCNA, the cruise missiles launched flew over the Yellow Sea for 10,116-10,138 seconds, successfully hitting designated targets.
Kim expressed satisfaction with the test results, noting the reliability of the national integrated control system of strategic weapons. He highlighted the inclusion of war deterrent components into a sophisticated operational system, marking a phase of multifaceted nuclear force operations.
Yang Moo-jin, a senior professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, estimated the range of North’s cruise missiles to be 2,000-2,500 kilometers, potentially targeting U.S. military bases in Japan. He suggested the missile test was a protest against the ongoing Seoul-Washington military exercise.
KCNA reported Kim’s call for examining naval automatic guns’ military efficiency on the warship and strengthening naval power. Kim proposed enhancing anti-warship and strategic attack capabilities by equipping high-speed warships below 3,000 tons with naval automatic guns and installing supersonic weapon systems on heavier destroyers.
This marks the first time North Korea mentioned an 8,000-ton destroyer. Kim has called for building two surface warships of at least 5,000 tons annually over the next five years. The Choe Hyon destroyer was unveiled in April last year as part of North Korea’s naval modernization efforts, equipped with supersonic strategic cruise missiles and other strike means.
Following the launch of another 5,000-ton destroyer, the Kang Kon, in June 2025, Kim ordered the construction of a third destroyer of the same class by the Workers’ Party of Korea’s founding anniversary on October 10.