As in other major North Korean cities, Nampo has also seen active construction of residential housing in several areas, one beach park has opened and is in operation, while vessel activity remains stable.

In mid-August, Kim Jong Un again visited the Nampo Shipyard, where the destroyer Choi Hyun has remained stationary. It appears, however, that subsystem tests of the various weapons systems are being carried out, and sea trials, to assess performance are expected to begin next month. During the subsystem testing process, some weapon systems appear to have encountered integration issues. At the time as sea trials, evaluations are expected to include engine test runs, system integration checks, verification of weapons capabilities, and assessments of durability against underwater shock.

In the future, the new destroyer is expected to serve as a secondary strike platform following land-based ballistic missiles, and for this purpose it appears to be equipped with multiple VLS cells for cruise missiles and SRBMs. However, without adequate escort forces at sea, in the air, and under water, this destroyer is likely to become an easy target for the ROK-U.S. combined forces. To address this, North Korea appears to be pursuing the construction of additional new destroyers and nuclear submarines, as well as seeking to acquire new fighter aircraft from Russia.