Satellite imagery has confirmed that North Korea’s newly commissioned 5,000-ton destroyer, the Choe Hyon, remains docked at a cargo port even after its official launch ceremony. This situation aligns with Kim Jong Un’s recent comments about the shortage of naval bases capable of accommodating new destroyers, suggesting that North Korea’s shipbuilding capacity is outpacing its infrastructure development.
On Wednesday, NK News, a media outlet specializing in North Korean affairs, reported that satellite image analysis showed the Choe Hyon, commissioned on June 23, remained stationary at Nampo cargo port on June 26, 28, and 30.
While North Korea announced the operational deployment of the Choe Hyon to the West Sea Fleet following its commissioning ceremony near Nampo shipyard on June 23, satellite imagery reveals that the vessel has not left its berth at the cargo dock since the event.
NK News suggests that this situation may be related to Kim’s statement during the commissioning ceremony, where he mentioned the lack of bases to moor new ships and indicated that the construction of a new naval base on the west coast is still in the planning stages.
The current location of the Choe Hyon at Nampo Port, situated inside the West Sea Lock, presents operational challenges. The vessel must pass through the lock to access open waters, potentially hampering rapid deployment in emergency situations. NK News assesses that this arrangement is not conducive to smooth operational engagement.
Meanwhile, in the East Sea, new developments have been observed regarding the second 5,000-ton destroyer, the Gang Geon. Satellite imagery analysis shows that the vessel, constructed at Chongjin Shipyard, embarked on a test voyage on June 4 The ship traveled approximately 275 kilometers (about 171 miles) to Mayangdo before returning to Rajin.
Following this long-range sea trial, NK News predicts that weapons system testing for the Gang Geon could commence within the next few weeks or months.