Kim Jong-un. Photo: STR / AFP
A high-profile incident has occurred in North Korea: a new 5,000-tonne destroyer capsized while launching in the port of Chongjin, in front of Kim Jong-un himself. The DPRK leader harshly criticised the incident, calling it a “serious accident” and an “unforgivable crime”, the state-run KCNA news agency reports.
The ship reportedly lost its balance during the launch, causing parts of its bottom to be damaged. The official North Korean press did not report any possible casualties, but the South Korean army said the destroyer was lying on its side in the water.
Kim Jong-un said the incident “undermined the dignity and self-respect of our state” and was caused by “absolute negligence, irresponsibility and unscientific approach”. He ordered the ship to be urgently repaired before the grand congress of the Workers’ Party in June, stressing that this was not only a technical issue but also a political one.
It is worth noting that the very fact that information about the accident was made public is rare for a closed regime. Experts believe that this demonstrates Kim Jong-un’s new strategy of controlling the negative narrative through quick recognition of problems and strict internal discipline.
Analysts at 38 North suggested that the destroyer could have been launched sideways due to technical limitations at the shipyard, a method that has not been used in the DPRK before. Satellite imagery taken the day before the launch showed the destroyer on a berth with its launchers open and auxiliary vessels nearby.
This destroyer is one of the largest warships built in the DPRK, and the second to be unveiled by the country in 2025.
