North Korea commissions new 5,000-ton destroyer ‘Kang Geon-ho’ into East Sea Fleet

(Seoul = Yonhap News) North Korea's new 5,000-ton destroyer 'Kang Geon-ho' was commissioned into the East Sea Fleet on the 6th to begin full-scale missions.

It is reported that Kang Geon-ho is a destroyer with the same displacement as Choi Hyun-ho, which was commissioned into the West Sea Fleet last June, and will perform missions such as anti-ship and land attack, air defense, and electronic warfare.

It was armed with strategic cruise missiles and ship-borne artillery, and was found to have an older Russian-made AK-630 Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) and multiple 14.5mm cannons placed on the side of the ship.

Detailed specifications, such as the destroyer's size, maximum speed, number of crew members, and type of radar, have not been disclosed.

While trying to float Kang Geon-ho on the water during the launching ceremony held in May last year, the hull tilted, fell, and ran aground.

Even after the ship was pulled from the water 22 days after the accident and the launching ceremony was held, questions were raised about whether it was operating normally. However, on the 5th of last month, Chairman Kim Jong-un observed the test of major weapons systems such as missiles mounted on the Kang Geon-ho, raising analysis that there is a high possibility that it will be commissioned around the date of the establishment of the North Korean regime (September 9).

Chairman Kim's wife Ri Sol-ju and daughter Joo-ae also appeared at the commissioning ceremony.

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