2d ago

DPRK launches 5000-ton destroyer warship

The birth of the new-type multi-mission destroyer, which is an ensemble of the state economy and an aggregate of self-reliant defence technology and which is equipped with the powerful cutting-edge strike weapon systems of the Korean style which do not allow comparison, is a brilliant fruition of the iron faith and will and outstanding leadership of the great Comrade Kim Jong Un, who indicated the path for rapidly developing the naval force of the DPRK into a powerful treasured sword for defending justice and peace and a service equipped with the comprehensive fighting power with nuclear weapons as the main axis and is dynamically steering the rejuvenation of the warship-building industry, and a valuable victory won by the strong aspiration and indomitable advance of the Korean people to outpace the world with the conviction in their own strength and courageous struggle.

http://kcna.kp/en/article/q/af24707e127494b9102a5ffa0145069f.kcmsf

https://archive.is/C1uVC

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-korean-leader-kim-attends-ceremony-new-multipurpose-destroyer-kcna-reports-2025-04-26/

28 comments

Interesting that this warship only weighs 2500 times more than the goddamn portable air conditioner i had to drag up 3 flights of stairs this morning
- Can you pull the train though?

It's got AESA radars? I guess we're starting to see some of what North Korea got in exchange for their support of Russia during the Russia-Ukraine war, technology exchange.

Those very large ten vertical launch systems (VLS) at the back are probably for ballistic missiles like the KN-23, which has seen extensive use by Russia in their war against Ukraine. They could be nuclear tipped, along with some of the longer range cruise missiles in the other VLS pods.
Like the submarines they've also recently unveiled, survivability in an actual conflict against South Korea and/or the USA is a key issue and likely not very high, these kind of assets are the first thing that gets targeted in an actual war. The main deterrence value of these assets is them getting a shot off, potentially a nuclear one, before getting targeted. They'd need a much larger fleet of them, with advanced air defence systems on these ships themselves (or supporting vessels) capable of targeting both stealthy subsonic cruise (JASSM/LRASM) and high speed supersonic (SM-6, Mach 3.5 top speed) missiles to survive. I guess that's what the AESA radar and smaller VLS pods are for.
- good thing the yank hypersonics are shit

uncritical support for the DPRK in its heroic struggle to liberate occupied Korea from the genocidal American empire

With DPRK as a global pariah it actually makes more sense as a potential source of exporting revolution than China does, because of how much China has to lose and how incompatible that is with their strategy of supporting sovereignty in order to gain friends and partners against the US.
The occupation of Korea needs to end first of course, but I have this sort of fantasy that they would start supporting socialists abroad after resolving affairs on the peninsula.

post ww2 naval classification is so wack, destroyers are like everything that doesnt have aircraft, and even then some have helipads

The fact that Kim only brings his daughter to these events proves that the war on men is global.
- "Ugh he told mom he wanted to get a boat. I didn't think he'd go get a fucking naval warship and drag me along. I just wanted to go kayaking."

i really like the paint job

no more half measures walter

What I think is interesting about this article (and another related KCNA article) is that there are a few quotes in it which imply that the ship is capable of carrying a nuclear weapon. It's good that DPRK is increasing their ability to defend themselves.
"With this as a momentum, our Navy has secured its place as a powerful service responsible for one of the country's independent defence capabilities. In particular, as part of the nuclear war deterrent, it can enhance its position in the realm of nuclear use. This has resulted in the Navy growing more adaptable to the use of war deterrent."
"The present security environment for our state is very serious and the situation demands that we effect a drastic and rapid change in the existing military theories and practices and expand our nuclear armaments radically."
"We will continue to make steady efforts, full of redoubled self-confidence, to further round off the nuclear defence posture based on the strong counterattack capability everywhere in the sky, on the land and on the sea and, by dint of overwhelming strength, thoroughly deter various military activities of the enemies that constantly deploy huge strategic assets, posing serious threats to the sovereignty and interests of our state."
"Today's ceremony of launching a new-type destroyer will serve as a signal flare for strengthening the Navy of the DPRK. And the second signal flare will be just the building of a nuclear-powered submarine."
http://kcna.kp/en/article/q/aaeed682a4cba15d70ede85a48bf38a1.kcmsf
https://archive.is/prSSR
- idk how feasiblr it is to house nuclear-capable missiles on destroyers but they might be talking about missile defense, missile defense destroyers are an important part of other nations nuclear strategies.
  
  A MiG jet can carry a kinzhal supersonic missile with a nuclear warhead. So I don't know why a big ol' ship can't.

Here are 64 images from the article mirrored if the KCNA article doesn't load for you.
- tfw when you're not in on the joke
- it looks dope

Did they MS Paint over that ship to hide what it actually looks like
- Those flags and color stripes are most likely cloth and not paint, look at the hawsers, they are wrapped in cloth too.
- Now that you mention it, I do see it. Like the wierd rope things and the abrupt cutoff on the shadows on the side of the hull. Probably there to not give too much information to enemy militaries? But then again, I'm pretty sure that enemy militaries could use satelite or other forms of imaging.
  
  the "abrupt cutoff" is from the triangular banner, unless you're talking about something else. and I'm not sure what rope you mean

28 comments