Pyongyang, June 24 (KCNA) -- The irresistible might of Juche Korea, which is confidently accomplishing the great cause of building a rich country with a strong army in a valiant spirit and with dignity that no one can defy under the ever-victorious leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea, is impressively ushering in a brilliant heyday of the Navy of the DPRK while powerfully raising the anchor of building a marine power in the 21st century.

The new-type multi-mission destroyer Choe Hyon, born as an aggregate of self-reliant defence technology and a new symbol of the sea defence capability of the state, will be formally commissioned into the Navy of the Korean People's Army after successfully concluding the shakedown for assessing its capability of executing operations for one year and two months.

The commissioning of the powerful battleship, which will sail along the course of defending the sacred maritime sovereignty and national interests of the DPRK with an important mission of implementing the national defence strategy of the Party Central Committee and exercising the war deterrent, is a meaningful indication of the radical qualitative strengthening of the Navy of the Republic with the strongest combat force which is put on the most powerful and ultra-modern level of Korean-style.

The commissioning ceremony of the destroyer Choe Hyon took place at Nampho Port on June 23.

The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and President of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, attended the ceremony.

The venue of the ceremony was filled with ardent reverence for Comrade Kim Jong Un, who provided the Navy of the Republic defending the core of the sovereign rights with the powerful strength for justice and peace while energetically guiding the sacred historic cause for the radical development of the national defence capabilities, and the great emotion and joy of the participants convinced of the bright future of the marine power.

When Comrade Kim Jong Un arrived at the venue of the commissioning ceremony, where the powerful warship in the new era of the DPRK is anchored imposingly, amid the welcome music, the participants broke into enthusiastic cheers out of their highest tribute and boundless gratitude to him, the great defender of our glorious country and invincible iron-willed commander.

The Navy of the Korean People's Army expressed the greatest trust and loyalty to Comrade Kim Jong Un.

Comrade Kim Jong Un was greeted courteously by leading officials in the fields of defence and warship-building industries and major commanding officers of the Ministry of National Defence and the Navy.

Present at the ceremony were members of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee and other members of the Party central leadership, commanding officers of the KPA large combined units, officers and men of the Navy, officers and men of the destroyer, discharged navy generals and workers, scientists, technicians and officials in the field of warship-building industry.

The national anthem of the DPRK was played.

Jo Chun Ryong, member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the Central Committee of the WPK, made a report on the preparations for the commissioning of the Destroyer Choe Hyon.

He noted that the destroyer has successfully passed through such procedures as the assessment of performance and combat application of various kinds of weapon systems and overall operational executive capability, test-fire, integrated operation test, navigation test for the general assessment of maneuverability, and military approval certificate.

On behalf of the workers and technicians of the Nampho Shipyard, a pivotal base of the warship-building industry in the new era, and other scientists, workers and officials in the field of munitions industry, he courteously reported to Comrade Kim Jong Un on the completion of the preparations for handing over the Korean-style state-of-the-art multi-mission destroyer Choe Hyon, a precious product of the Party's plan for building the country into an advanced maritime power and line on the revolution in the warship-building industry, to the KPA Navy.

He said in an excited tone that the destroyer, the whole of the state economic strength and the total sum and essence of the national defence science and technology and the capability for developing and manufacturing military hardware, is a crystal of Comrade Kim Jong Un's great idea of self-defence, extraordinary military wisdom, unbounded patriotic enthusiasm and all-round creative ability both in name and in reality.

He expressed the unshakable will and determination of loyalty of all the workers in the munitions industry and defence scientists to successfully carry out the important tasks for the national defence development strategy set forth at the Ninth Congress of the WPK and the Second Plenary Meeting of the Ninth WPK Central Committee at any cost and thus substantially and perfectly guarantee the bolstering of the naval force.

Minister of Shipbuilding Kim Kwang Il handed over the warship's delivery document to the KPA Navy.

Comrade Kim Jong Un made a significant speech in commemoration of the commissioning of the Destroyer Choe Hyon.

All the participants were deeply impressed by his passionate speech, which reflects the great ambition to firmly defend the well-being and future of the country and the people by consolidating the strength and dignity of the DPRK to the strongest and gives confidence in the steady development of the revolution in the warship-building industry in the new era and the bright prospect of the modern naval force.

When Comrade Kim Jong Un finished his speech, they broke into thunderous cheers of "Hurrah!" out of their boundless reverence, absolute trust and ardent loyalty and the port resounded with them.

Upon authorization, Marshal of the KPA Pak Jong Chon read out the order of the WPK Central Military Commission on commissioning the destroyer Choe Hyon into the KPA Navy, and handed it to Senior Vice Admiral Pak Kwang Sop, commander of the KPA Navy.

On the order of the WPK Central Military Commission, the destroyer will be commissioned into the West Sea Fleet of the KPA Navy to perform the honorable mission of defending the West Sea of the DPRK and deterring war.

On behalf of the sailors of the destroyer, Senior Commander Choe Kum Chol, captain of the destroyer, made an oath-taking speech.

He expressed his unusual pride and honor as one of the first generation of the Navy in the new era who will steer the latest warship in the ocean to fully demonstrate the might of the country and as the first person who will experience and verify the transformation in the Navy undergoing complete changes in its weaponry, tactics and culture. And he extended the greatest tribute and heartfelt thanks to Comrade Supreme Commander who made them serve in the first warship which will lead a new history of the Navy and gave the highest honor and matchless courage to them. He also extended warm thanks and militant salute to the workers in the sector of the warship-building industry who are making a heroic effort to transform the Navy, true to the plan of the Party Central Committee.

The captain explained the destroyer's offensive and defensive weapons systems and referred to the sailors' great spiritual strength for combat. And he said that once ordered, the destroyer will courageously sail to any operational waters as befits Comrade Kim Jong Un's Navy.

He expressed his determination to make the history of the warship, associated with the long-cherished desire of the people and sincerity of the workers in the munitions industry, the one of ardent loyalty and feats and firmly defend the blue and beautiful sea of the country and thus remain boundlessly loyal to the sacred mission given by the Party and the country.

The sailors of the destroyer chanted resounding slogans, reflecting their iron will to glorify through their distinguished military service the standard-bearer position and militant honor of the first warship defending the Party Central Committee and the national sovereignty and territorial waters.

Amid the enthusiastic encouragement and cheers of the participants in the ceremony, the sailors of the destroyer got on the warship holding high the glorious ensign.

There took place a ceremony of hoisting the ensign of the destroyer Choe Hyon of the KPA Navy.

The ensign symbolic of commissioning the destroyer was hoisted amid the warship whistle and the boom of a 9 gun-salute.

Comrade Kim Jong Un got on the destroyer.

The destroyer was full of the great honor and excitement of the sailors who had the greatest honor of having Comrade Supreme Commander on their warship again before leaving the port.

The captain courteously saluted Comrade Kim Jong Un in welcome of him.

Comrade Kim Jong Un met sailors on the bow and stern of the destroyer.

The sailors taking delivery of the warship with sacred mission and deep trust were awarded the binoculars in the name of Comrade Kim Jong Un.

Upon authorization, Marshal of the KPA Pak Jong Chon conferred the binoculars on the chief executive officer of the destroyer.

Saying that the first destroyer of the DPRK was to start the fulfillment of the sacred and important mission for reliably defending the national maritime sovereignty and interests after enlisting for the navy in the sea of the country, Comrade Kim Jong Un said that the destroyer's commissioning of epochal significance in building the armed forces in the new era is a clear and powerful proof of the reality in which the might of the Navy as the core service of the DPRK armed forces is being remarkably strengthened.

There will be no change in the constant view of the WPK that strength is just the national sovereignty and prestige and a country can be peaceful and prosperous only when its military muscle is strong, he said, affirming that powerful battleships will advance into the inviolable and beautiful sea of the country one after another to defend its peace and honor and the security of our state will be further consolidated and the dignity and stamina of the Navy of the Republic will be more fully displayed through the exercise of the powerful capability to control the enemies' threat of aggression.

Expressing belief and expectation that the Destroyer Choe Hyon would record only victories in the course of safeguarding the country by creditably inheriting the great spirit, matchless bravery and ever-victorious tradition of the army-founding generation as befitting the battleship named after a veteran general, he had a significant photo taken with the sailors to remain forever in the history of development of the Navy.

All the commanding officers and sailors of the destroyer solemnly pledged before Comrade Kim Jong Un and the country and the people to turn their warship into the flagship of the matchless fleet controlling the most responsible battlefield for defending the sovereignty of the DPRK by dint of the spiritual strength and matchless combat capability of the heroic Navy, displaying loyalty and feats along the course set by the Party Central Committee.

Comrade Kim Jong Un got off the warship and met the discharged navy generals who were invited to the commissioning ceremony, and expressed the unshakable plan of the Party Central Committee to further accelerate the development of the naval forces associated with their patriotic life.

There took place a departure ceremony of the Destroyer Choe Hyon.

All the warships of the Navy staying in the port raised the code flags of congratulation at once amid the gong of departure of the destroyer.

The participants extended their warmest and enthusiastic congratulations to the destroyer sailors, waving their hands.

Comrade Kim Jong Un sent a militant salute to the DPRK's state-of-the-art multi-mission destroyer No. 1, sincerely wishing that it would win fame as an invincible battleship symbolizing the mightiness and invincibility of the heroic People's Navy.

On the same day, the Navy hosted a reception in commemoration of the commissioning of the destroyer.

The splendid commissioning ceremony of the destroyer serves as a solemn start signaling the rapid growth and development of the combat force of the DPRK Navy and as a great event that clearly demonstrated the advance spirit of the strong self-defensive nation towards the vast ocean with a grand goal and ideal. -0-