North Korea Commissions Second Choe Hyon-Class Guided-Missile Destroyer

North Korea commissioned Kang Kon, its second Choe Hyon-class guided-missile destroyer, at Wonsan on September 6. The approximately 5,000-ton warship follows lead ship Choe Hyon, commissioned in June, and appears to carry phased-array radars and a large vertical-launch battery reported at 88 cells. Pyongyang presented the class as a major step in expanding sea-based air defence and long-range strike options for its modernizing fleet. Two additional ships are reportedly under construction, but independent evidence about missile integration, sensor performance, crew readiness and sustained operational availability remains limited.