A ceremony to welcome a new addition to North Korea’s naval fleet has ended in embarrassment following a major accident during the ship’s launch that the country’s dictator, Kim Jong-un, described as a “criminal act”, the Guardian reports.
Kim was present when the 5,000-tonne destroyer appeared to go off balance during its launch in the eastern port city of Chongjin on Wednesday. The tipping caused damage to sections of the hull, the state-run KCNA news agency said 22 May 2025.
“Kim Jong-un made [a] stern assessment, saying that it was a serious accident and criminal act caused by absolute carelessness, irresponsibility … and could not be tolerated,” KCNA reported.
Kim ordered the ship restored before a key meeting of the ruling Workers’ party next month, KCNA added. The accident had “brought the dignity and self-respect of our state to a collapse”.
South Korea’s military said the vessel was lying on its side in the water.
In a report issued last week on preparations for the launch, US-based 38 North said it appeared the ship would be side-launched from the quay, a method not previously observed in North Korea. “The use of this launch method could be one of necessity, as the quay where the ship is being built does not have an incline,” the 38 North report said. Commercial satellite imagery of the shipyard the day before the launch showed the destroyer positioned on the quay with support vessels by its side.
The ship was the second 5,000-tonne destroyer-class vessel – the biggest in the North Korean fleet – to have been launched in recent weeks. State media ran images of Kim attending a ceremony at the earlier launch with his daughter Ju Ae, considered by many experts to be his likely successor.
The full report is here.
