New North Korean destroyer damaged at launch, Kim orders accountability

A significant accident took place during the launch ceremony of a new North Korean naval destroyer, state media reported on May 22, with leader Kim Jong Un condemning the incident as a "criminal act."

According to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the mishap occurred on May 21 at the ceremony held in the eastern port city of Chongjin, where Kim Jong Un was in attendance, Caliber.Az reports.

The new 5,000-ton warship suffered damage after “inexperienced command and operational carelessness” led to “some sections of the warship’s bottom [being] crushed,” which caused a loss of balance to the vessel.

KCNA described the accident as severe, explaining that the structural damage “destroyed the balance of the warship,” raising serious concerns about its integrity.

Kim Jong Un observed the entire incident and reacted sharply, labelling the event a “criminal act caused by absolute carelessness” and stressing that such negligence is “unacceptable.” He warned that the “irresponsible errors” committed by the officials responsible for the launch would be scrutinised and punished at the upcoming plenary meeting of the Party Central Committee, set to convene next month.

This latest mishap follows North Korea’s unveiling last month of another 5,000-ton destroyer-class vessel named Choe Hyon. State media released images of Kim attending that earlier launch alongside his daughter Ju Ae, who many experts speculate is being positioned as his future successor.

North Korea has claimed that the Choe Hyon is outfitted with the “most powerful weapons” and stated that it is expected to “enter into operation early next year.” Some analysts suggest the destroyer might be armed with short-range tactical nuclear missiles, although Pyongyang has yet to demonstrate a reliable capability to miniaturise nuclear warheads for deployment on such missiles.

By Tamilla Hasanova