Catastrophic Warship Launch in North Korea Leads to Arrests and Military Setback
Between Sunday and Monday, four individuals were apprehended in North Korea following a disastrous incident during the launch of a new warship, a destroyer. The vessel capsized and remained half submerged in the sea while the other half stayed on the dock, an embarrassing outcome during an official ceremony attended by North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.
The event occurred at the Chongjin port, a coastal city in the northern part of the country. Post-incident, North Korean state television disseminated Kim's severe remarks, signaling his intent to impose strict penalties on those involved, to address what he deemed lax attitudes across various sectors.
Initially, the state agency reported three arrests on Sunday, which included key figures such as the chief engineer of the shipyards, the head of the construction workshop, and the deputy administrative director. The fourth arrest, made on Monday, involved a political official, Ri Hyong Son, who serves as the deputy director of the munitions industry department of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party, the only permitted political organization within the country.
The mishap during the destroyer's launch is viewed as a significant blow to North Korea’s naval image and military ambitions. According to Kim's vision, the military fleet is meant to evolve from a primarily defensive force with coastal patrol duties to one capable of executing offensive strategic operations. Consequently, substantial investments in military infrastructure have been made in recent months.
Earlier in April, the Choe Hyon, another destroyer named after a former general, was successfully launched at the Nampo port on the west coast, marking a milestone as the largest warship ever constructed for the North Korean navy and the first destroyer in service. The ill-fated Chongjin destroyer was meant to be the second vessel of its kind.
Unfortunately, the recent launch was disastrous. Satellite imagery illustrates the ship still trapped and covered with tarpaulins in the water. Weighing in at 5,000 tons, shipyard officials attempted to lower the destroyer into the water using a complex sideways trolley method, which demands precise balancing—an arduous task given that the heavy armaments had not yet been fully installed.
The method was likely a necessity dictated by the shipyard's lack of experience with such large vessels and the absence of adequate facilities. Typically, the Chongjin shipyard produces cargo ships, fishing boats, and dredgers, lacking the infrastructure for lowering large ships through the common dry dock method.
Television images previously captured the Choe Hyon's successful launch at Nampo, which utilized a dry dock flooding method—a standard procedure for large ships—unlike the sideways launch that North Korea opted for.
The extent of damage inflicted on the hull from the incident remains uncertain. Given North Korea's notoriously isolated nature, the regime often conceals the true scale of its failures. Initial reports from North Korean authorities indicated a severe breach but were later revised to suggest only minor damage. In the most optimistic scenario, weeks will be needed to drain the ship, repair it, and restore its balance. However, some experts warn that the damage may be substantial and could hinder the vessel’s operational future.
Recovery efforts have been visually documented via current satellite images, showcasing a large number of balloons deployed in the attempt to salvage the ship.
Before the launch, the destroyer bore a resemblance to the Choe Hyon, likely outfitted with a Russian anti-aircraft system and armaments modeled after Russian designs. Over the past two years, military collaboration between Russia and North Korea has intensified; Kim Jong Un's regime has been sending weapons and troops to aid Russia in the Ukrainian conflict, while reports indicate that Russia may be providing technological and engineering assistance to the North Korean military.
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