North Korea intends to transport its newly launched 5,000-ton destroyer from Nampo Shipyard to the East Sea via barge, where it will join the navy’s East Sea Fleet.
A Daily NK military source said recently that the ruling party’s Central Military Commission “ratified a plan on April 27 to move and deploy destroyer No. 51 to the East Sea and issued an order to the party’s Defense Industry Department, the General Staff Department and the Naval Command to draw up relevant plans.”
The final plan, approved on April 28, involves placing the destroyer on a large barge and sailing it south through the West Sea to reach the East Sea sometime this summer.
According to the source, the barge will depart Nampo and navigate through international waters in the South China Sea, following routes along the Chinese coast where maritime patrols are minimal. It will then detour through international waters south of Japan before entering the East Sea.
North Korean military officials believe they can successfully transport the destroyer using a specialized barge, drawing on their experience moving large fishing vessels and cargo ships. They estimate the journey will take approximately one week.
Though the transport represents innocent passage, South Korea, the United States and Japan will likely track the vessel continuously, recognizing it as a key North Korean strategic asset. To minimize detection, North Korea plans to sail the barge at night and blend with international shipping traffic.
The source explained that North Korea built the destroyer in the West Sea but intends to deploy it in the East Sea due to shipbuilding infrastructure considerations and strategic needs. “Major equipment for building large surface warships is concentrated on the West Sea coast in places like Nampo, while the Sinpo Shipyard on the East Sea specializes in submarine production and isn’t suited for surface warships,” the source said.
“Nampo Shipyard is one of North Korea’s few facilities with the expertise to install large naval propulsion systems and build hulls, while the Defense Industry Department applied its own technical standards for reliably constructing large and semi-large surface vessels.”
“Destroyer No. 51 will be deployed to an East Sea fleet base sometime this year,” the source added. “It will fill the strategic vacuum in the East Sea fleet left by the retirement of Destroyer No. 531 and strengthen anti-ship, anti-submarine and air defense capabilities through joint exercises with the air force.”
This move suggests North Korea aims to pressure the United States and bolster its national defense by strengthening naval capabilities in the East Sea.
“The Central Military Commission has ordered the Defense Industry Department to present a plan during the next party congress to build an additional 9,000 to 10,000-ton cruiser with advanced specifications, building on the success of Destroyer No. 51, and to deploy it with the East Sea fleet.”
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