Seoul: North Korea's newly launched destroyer is likely to require a significant amount of time before it can be fully deployed, South Korea's military announced on Thursday. Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson Col. Lee Sung-jun provided insights into the situation following the launch of North Korea's new 5,000-ton Choe Hyon destroyer, which recently conducted its first live-fire tests on Monday and Tuesday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Col. Lee assessed that despite the unveiling of the Choe Hyon, substantial time is needed for its deployment. He raised the possibility that North Korea might have received technological or financial assistance from Russia, given the ship's weapons and equipment. He emphasized that warship development is a lengthy process, often taking years to complete, and even after the construction of a vessel, more time is necessary before it is ready for deployment.

Col. Lee confirmed that South Korea is actively monitoring and tracking North Korea's weapons development activities. He highlighted the intricacies involved in the development and deployment of advanced military vessels such as the Choe Hyon.

38 North, a U.S. think tank that keeps a close watch on North Korea, previously mentioned that additional work seems to be required for the destroyer. This assessment was based on commercial satellite imagery captured last Friday, which showed tugboats being used to maneuver the ship, indicating that it may not yet be fully operational.