Kim said strengthening what he called the country’s nuclear war deterrence remains a top priority.
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SEOUL – North Korea conducted another test of its strategic cruise missile and anti-warship missile on Sunday as part of the operational efficiency test of the destroyer Choi Hyun, state media Korean Central News Agency reported on Tuesday.
According to the report, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected the test along with senior defense officials and naval commanders.
According to KCNA, two strategic cruise missiles and three anti-warship missiles were fired to check the warship’s integrated weapons command system, train the crew on missile launch procedures, and verify the accuracy and anti-jamming performance of the upgraded navigation system.
The cruise missile flew over the country’s west coast for about 7,869 to 7,920 seconds, and the anti-warship missile flew for about 1,960 to 1,973 seconds, hitting its target with ultra-precise accuracy, the report said.
According to KCNA, on the same day, Kim was briefed on weapons system plans for two additional destroyers currently under construction and hinted at preparations for the third and fourth Choe Hyun-class ships.
Kim said strengthening what he called the country’s nuclear war deterrence remains a top priority, and called for improved strategic and tactical strike capabilities and rapid response readiness, the report said.
North Korea conducted its first weapons test on a 5,000-ton Choe Hyon-class warship in April 2025, and in June Kim Jong-un announced plans to build two more destroyers in 2026 and to commission two high-performance destroyers of the same class or higher each year.
Lim Eul-cheol, a professor at Kyungnam University, said the mention of a fourth destroyer appears to be the first official acknowledgment of its construction beyond previous announcements.
“The mention of a third and fourth destroyer suggests that North Korea is accelerating the formation of a destroyer fleet rather than fielding isolated platforms,” Lim said, adding that once initial trials are deemed successful, faster follow-on production typically follows.
Lim said weapons development appears to be accelerating on multiple fronts as North Korea seeks to take advantage of global strategic turmoil, including the Middle East conflict, to push for irreversible advances in its nuclear and delivery capabilities.
The North Korean embassy in Beijing did not respond to a request for comment.
