Choe Hyon vs Gwanggaeto the Great
Choe Hyon vs Gwanggaeto the Great at a glance — displacement 5,000 vs 3,885 tons, length 144 vs 135 m.
| Choe Hyon | Gwanggaeto the Great | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | 🇰🇵 North Korea | 🇰🇷 South Korea |
| Category | Destroyer | Destroyer |
| Type | Guided-missile destroyer | Destroyer |
| Manufacturer | Nampo Shipyard, Hambuk Shipyard | Daewoo Heavy Industries Co. |
| Year introduced | 2026 | 1998 |
| Number built | 2 units | 3 units |
| Estimated unit price | NA | NA |
| Displacement | 5,000 tons | 3,885 tons |
| Maximum speed | NA | 30.0 knots |
| Range | NA | 4,500 nm at 18 knots |
| Length | 144.5 m | 135.5 m |
| Beam | 16.0 m | 14.2 m |
| Crew | -- | 286 |
| Choe Hyon | Gwanggaeto the Great | |
|---|---|---|
| Armament |
|
|
| Propulsion | -- | 2 × General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines, 2 × SsangYong Motor Company 20V 956 TB 82 diesel engines, 2 shafts |
Detailed Comparison
North Korea's Choe Hyon class introduces vertical launching systems and phased-array radars to the Korean People's Navy (KPN). South Korea's Gwanggaeto the Great (KDX-I) class laid the technical groundwork for the Republic of Korea Navy's (ROKN) open-ocean operations in the late 1990s.
Development and Design
Daewoo Heavy Industries began the KDX-I program in 1989, completing three 3,885-ton hulls that ended South Korea's reliance on second-hand US Navy destroyers. A stealth-optimized derivative of the hull was later exported to the Royal Thai Navy as the Bhumibol Adulyadej class.
The 5,000-ton Choe Hyon emerged in 2024, built at the Nampo and Hambuk shipyards. North Korean shipbuilding quality control limits production efficiency: the second hull, Kang Kon, capsized during a botched side launch at Chongjin in May 2025 before being righted and relaunched. Two units are active, with two more under construction as of 2026.
Weapons and Sensors
The Choe Hyon prioritizes land-attack and anti-surface warfare over layered air defense. Its primary armament configuration includes:
- 88 VLS cells mixing ballistic, cruise, and surface-to-air missiles
- 16 anti-ship missiles in quadruple launchers
- 1 Pantsir-ME close-in weapon system, indicating direct Russian hardware integration
The KDX-I utilizes a legacy anti-air suite of 16 RIM-7P Sea Sparrow missiles and two 30mm Goalkeeper CIWS. Its surface-to-surface armament is limited to eight Harpoon missiles. The South Korean vessel holds an advantage in anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capacity. It operates two Super Lynx helicopters—compared to the Choe Hyon's single rotary-wing aircraft—and utilizes domestic combat management systems, Link-16 data links, and a towed-array sonar integrated during a 2016–2021 upgrade cycle.
Propulsion and Performance
The KDX-I uses a Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) configuration powered by General Electric LM2500 gas turbines, achieving speeds of 30 knots with a 4,500-nautical-mile range. Propulsion data for the Choe Hyon is unconfirmed, but North Korea's inability to manufacture marine gas turbines dictates reliance on heavy commercial diesels or legacy steam plants. This mechanical constraint caps the Choe Hyon's sustained transit speeds and acoustic stealth.
Deployment and Combat Record
The KDX-I class has a 25-year operational history, executing international anti-piracy missions in the Gulf of Aden and participating in multinational exercises like RIMPAC. The Choe Hyon class entered service in June 2026. Its deployments consist of publicized cruise missile test-firings within North Korea's exclusive economic zone rather than extended maritime patrols.
Conclusion
The Choe Hyon possesses superiority in offensive surface strike. Its 88-cell VLS and ballistic missile integration allow it to hold land targets and surface action groups at risk from ranges the KDX-I cannot match.
However, the Gwanggaeto the Great class wins in open-ocean survivability and ASW. The South Korean ship benefits from proven CODOG propulsion, a networked combat management system, and mature acoustic sensors. In a conflict, the Choe Hyon functions as a heavily armed monitor tethered to coastal air cover, restricted by its acoustic signature and unproven propulsion. The KDX-I, despite its older hull and limited missile capacity, operates as an integrated node within a modern maritime task force.