North Korea Test-Fires Strategic Cruise and Anti-Ship Missiles from New Destroyer as Kim Jong Un Observes

North Korea conducted a fresh round of missile tests from its advanced 5,000-ton Choe Hyon-class destroyer on Sunday, launching two strategic cruise missiles and three anti-ship missiles off the country’s west coast, state media reported Tuesday.

Leader Kim Jong Un personally supervised the drills, which were described as an “operational efficiency test” to evaluate the warship’s integrated weapons command system, train crew members in launch procedures, and verify the accuracy and anti-jamming performance of upgraded navigation systems.

According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the two strategic cruise missiles flew for approximately two hours along preset trajectories over the Yellow Sea, while the three anti-ship missiles traveled for roughly 33 minutes. All missiles struck their targets with ultra-precision accuracy.

The test marks another step in Pyongyang’s efforts to bolster its naval capabilities. The Choe Hyon, the lead ship of the new multi-mission destroyer class, was first unveiled in 2025. Kim has repeatedly emphasized expanding the navy’s nuclear-armed strike potential, including plans to build additional vessels of the same or more advanced design.

During the observation, Kim reviewed construction plans for the third and fourth destroyers and reiterated that strengthening nuclear deterrence remains a top priority, calling for the limitless expansion of nuclear forces and improved rapid-response capabilities.

This latest launch follows previous tests from the same destroyer earlier in 2026, underscoring North Korea’s push to integrate advanced cruise and anti-ship systems into its growing fleet amid regional tensions.