North Korea Tests New Destroyer With Cruise Missile Salvo, Eyes Service In Two Months

North Korea has undertaken a fresh series of weapons and combat‑system examinations aboard its 5,000‑ton destroyer Kang Kon, with the nation’s leader Kim Jong Un watching the proceedings. The drills incorporated strategic cruise‑missile launches, ship‑board gunfire, and checks of electronic‑warfare and sensor arrays.

The showcase follows the recent commissioning of the class’s inaugural vessel, underscoring Pyongyang’s push to field larger, missile‑armed surface warships. State media KCNA reported that Kim instructed officials to finish the remaining acceptance trials so the destroyer can be placed in active duty within the next two months.

Tests Reveal How the Destroyer Is Meant to Operate

KCNA said the evaluation on July 3 featured the firing of a “strategic cruise missile” together with live‑fire exercises using the ship’s main gun, automatic cannons, target‑tracking gear, data‑processing systems, and electronic‑warfare suite.

While KCNA did not name the missile, analysts suspect it was a naval variant of the Hwasal family of land‑attack cruise missiles. Army Recognition cited external assessments that the destroyer may have launched a salvo of ten Hwasal‑2‑type missiles, with other reports suggesting as many as twelve missiles were fired during the broader test sequence.

The trials formed part of a broader combat‑system performance review for Kang Kon, the second ship of the Choe Hyon class. According to reports, Kim observed the activities from shore and then ordered officials to wrap up the remaining trials and commission the vessel within two months.

The exercises came after the lead ship, Choe Hyon, entered service in late June and after Kang Kon resumed sea trials following repairs from a failed launch ceremony in 2025 that had set back its progress toward operational status.

Kang Kon Signals Pyongyang’s Move to Bigger Missile Ships

The Choe Hyon class marks a shift away from North Korea’s historic reliance on patrol craft, missile boats, submarines, and coastal‑defense platforms. Army Recognition describes the 5,000‑ton destroyers as multi‑role platforms that fuse strike weapons, naval artillery, electronic‑warfare gear, sensors, and command functions into a single surface combatant.

Earlier coverage of Kang Kon’s sea‑trial phase highlighted initial assessments of seaworthiness, propulsion, steering and high‑speed handling before moving on to weapons and sensor evaluations. The current combat‑system tests therefore represent a later stage in the ship’s validation process.

Kim has also used the modernization push to call for equipping the navy with nuclear weapons and to outline plans for even larger, 10,000‑ton‑class warships. Army Recognition notes that the current destroyer programme is viewed as a stepping stone toward fielding increasingly capable missile‑armed surface combatants.

The Associated Press reported that North Korea first unveiled the lead destroyer Choe Hyon in April 2025 before introducing Kang Kon a month later. After the latter suffered damage during its launch, authorities announced it had been repaired and returned to the water. The latest combat‑system trials now bring the vessel close to formal entry into naval service, pending the completion of the remaining acceptance testing mandated by Kim Jong Un.