Name of New-type Multi-mission Destroyer

There was a splendid launching ceremony of a new-type multi-mission destroyer in the DPRK on April 25 2025, the founding anniversary of the first armed forces of the Korean revolution.

The new-type multi-mission destroyer revealed its majestic appearance on the West Sea of Korea, amid the Korean people's boundless reverence for the respected General Secretary Kim Jong Un, who has bolstered up the absolute strength and irreversible might of the armed forces of the state and realized the centuries-old desire for the strongest naval force, and their great pride and joy.

At the ceremony, the order of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea signed by the General Secretary was announced. The order said that the newly-built 5 000-ton-class destroyer is graded as "Choe Hyon" class and named after anti-Japanese revolutionary fighter Choe Hyon, a typical military activist and an elder and veteran of the armed forces of the DPRK who possessed boundless loyalty to the leader as part of his mental qualities.

Photo. Carved image of anti-Japanese revolutionary fighter Choe Hyon, a symbol of valour and mettle

The name of the warship "Choe Hyon" is very significant as it boosts the heroic fighting spirit of the sailors of the DPRK.

The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un said:

"General Choe Hyon, a faithful comrade-in-arms of the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung, is well known to the Korean people. Though his career was not specially associated with sailors, we named the first destroyer of a new generation after him, who lives in our memories as a symbol of bravery and mettle. This is because we hope our sailors' spirit will be impregnated with his soul so that our Navy will achieve victory unprecedented in the annals of its history."

The DPRK is a maritime country bordering the East and West Seas of Korea. Both the seas are the bases of the life of the Korean people and an important domain where the DPRK's sovereignty is exercised. The geopolitical peculiarity of the DPRK as a maritime nation lies in that only when the navy is strong can its peace and development be guaranteed.

The sailors of the DPRK have defended the maritime sovereignty, the core of their national sovereignty, for nearly 80 years, while thwarting the enemy's threat of aggression by displaying the heroic combat spirit. Though it was incomparable with the enemy in terms of numerical strength and the level of equipment, the Navy of the Korean People's Army won the Fatherland Liberation War in the 1950s. And for decades thereafter, it has added lustre to the history of victory of the heroic KPA, building up impenetrable defences on the maritime gateway, which has been the enemies' channel of aggression for generations.

The heroic combat spirit of the KPA sailors who have defended their national sovereignty at the cost of their blood on the rough sea without any border marker is a great spirit that should be carried forward invariably.

The naming of the destroyer as "Choe Hyon" is to make the firm faith, valour and mettle of the army-founding generation become part of the heroic combat spirit of the new generations of sailors and glorify it as the eternal soul of defence.

The army-founding generation performed great feats in the struggle to liberate Korea, which had been deprived of by the Japanese imperialists, by forming armed units under the anti-Japanese banner of independence by dint of self-reliance. They loyally assisted President Kim Il Sung with faith and distinguished military qualifications during the Fatherland Liberation War to defeat the imperialist allied forces, in the wake of the period of building a new Korea and the KPA. They were all genuine generals and competent persons. The indomitable spirit and courage of the army-founding generation, who won fame as staunch fighters with ardent loyalty to the leader, firm faith in the victory of the revolution, outstanding military qualifications, valour and indomitable mettle, are the banner that should be held up high in making service personnel take it as their absolute mission to devotedly fight to defend the dignity of the state and the safety of the people.

The destroyer named after Choe Hyon, a member of the army-founding generation, encourages the KPA sailors to always cherish the indomitable spirit and courage of the army-founding generation and display the valour and mettle they demonstrated.

The name of the warship is a significant name that makes the militant spirit of the KPA sailors shine forever as a great spirit with which to achieve new victories unprecedented in history.

The new-type multi-mission destroyer with the name that boosts the great militant spirit will achieve fame as an invincible warship associated with the matchless heroism and indomitable courage of the anti-Japanese war veteran Choe Hyon.