North Korea's Largest Surface Combatant Undergoes Sea Trials

The construction of Pyongyang’s Choe Hyon-class guided-missile destroyer, with a displacement of up to 5,000 tonnes, was first unveiled in December 2024. It is North Korea’s largest-ever surface combatant. Its first ship in the class, the Choe Hyon, was launched in April last year, while the second, the Kang Kon, was relaunched the following June after it capsized during its launch ceremony a month earlier. The two vessels are undergoing sea trials before being delivered to the North Korean navy. Despite wider scepticism about the extent of damage to the Kang Kon during the incident, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended the sea trial of the vessel, state media reported last week.