Daniel Manning 
Satellite image taken on May 22 shows a newly built 5,000-ton-class destroyer lying on its side and covered with what appears to be a blue tarp at a shipyard in Chongjin, northeastern North Korea (Provided by Airbus Defence and Space / Kyodo).
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North Korean state media reported on May 22 that a major accident occurred during the launch ceremony of a newly built 5,000-ton-class destroyer. The incident took place on May 21 at a shipyard in Chongjin, located in northeast North Korea. During the ceremony, the warship partially capsized and sustained damage.
General Secretary Kim Jong Un, who witnessed the entire event, was reportedly furious. He denounced the mishap as "an unforgivable criminal act." Following the incident, he ordered a full investigation and demanded the vessel be restored without delay.
Shattered Pride
Naval modernization and nuclear armament remain central pillars of Kim Jong Un's military agenda. Just weeks earlier, in late April, he oversaw the launch of another 5,000-ton-class destroyer at a shipyard in Nampo, on North Korea's western coast.
He reportedly took the recent mishap as a grave blow, declaring it had "instantly shattered the nation's pride." Kim signaled that senior officials across multiple departments would be held accountable at the upcoming plenary session of the Workers' Party Central Committee, set for late June.
According to North Korean media, the destroyer lost balance while being transferred on a trolley. This was apparently the result of "inexperienced command and operational negligence." The stern launch ramp detached prematurely, causing the vessel to run aground and rupture its hull. Meanwhile, the bow remained stuck on the trolley, leading to a complete failure of the launch. The South Korean military later confirmed that the destroyer is currently lying on its side in the water.
Kim has issued a strict directive for the vessel to be fully restored. The deadline is set for the Workers' Party plenary session in June.
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Author: Norio Sakurai, The Sankei Shimbun
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