North Korea appears to hide sunken warship under tarpaulins
The first pictures have emerged of a North Korean warship seemingly covered in tarpaulin after it capsized and sank in front of dictator Kim Jong Un. Satellite images appear to show the naval destroyer languishing on its side alongside the dock where a launch ceremony had been held.
But the launch failed, and analysis of pictures taken on Thursday suggest the ship is now partially submerged and covered with bright blue tarpaulins in an apparent attempt to conceal the wreckage. State media said the the 5,000-ton ship, which had been due to enter service next year, is designed to carry weapons systems including nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles.
Lee Sung Joon, spokesperson for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that the damaged vessel was likely equipped with similar systems and remains toppled over in the sea. The failed launch sparked fury from Kim Jong Un, who wants bigger warships to deal with what he calls escalating US-led threats against his country. He declared the mishap a 'criminal act caused by absolute carelessness' that 'could not be tolerated'. He has ordered the destroyer to be restored before a June party meeting, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
It's not common for North Korea to acknowledge military-related setbacks, but observers say the disclosure of the failed ship launch suggests that Kim is serious about meeting his objectives in his naval advancement programme. 'It's a shameful thing. But the reason why North Korea disclosed the incident is it wants to show it's speeding up the modernization of its navy forces and expresses its confidence that it can eventually build" a greater navy, said Moon Keun-sik, a navy expert who teaches at Seoul's Hanyang University. Moon suspected the incident likely happened because North Korean workers aren't yet familiar with such a large warship and were rushed to put it in the water.
Kim reportedly said of the blunder: 'This is a serious accident and criminal act that could not have happened and could not be tolerated due to pure carelessness, irresponsibility, and unscientific empiricism,' the agency reported. He continued: 'The urgent restoration of the destroyer is not a simple practical issue, but a political issue directly related to the authority of the country. It must be completed unconditionally before the June plenary session of the Central Committee of the Party', he added.
The ship that held the launching ceremony this time appears to be of the same class as the 5,000-ton destroyer Choi Hyun-ho that North Korea launched last month. In April Kim unveiled a nuclear-capable naval destroyer that he says will bolster North Korea's ability to defend itself in the face of perceived aggression from the US and its regional allies. The North Korean leader attended the warship's launch ceremony at the western port of Nampo with his teenage daughter Kim Ju Ae, according to state-run media.
Ju Ae has been widely regarded by analysts as the likely successor to Kim since she was referred to as a 'great person of guidance' in an official report last year. Kim said the 5,000-ton vessel would bolster efforts to expand the operational range and preemptive strike capabilities of his nuclear-armed military. The 'multi-purpose' destroyer, designed to handle a variety of arms including nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles, was touted as the first in a new class of heavily armed warships.
Kim, who has framed the arms buildup as a response to the supposed danger posed by the US and its allies in Asia, said the destroyer would be handed over to the navy early next year before beginning active duty. Jo Chun Ryong, a secretary in the ruling Workers' party, claimed the ship was equipped with the 'most powerful weapons' and was built 'within 400-odd days'. Kim also took aim at efforts by the US and South Korea to expand joint military exercises and update their nuclear deterrence strategies, which he portrayed as preparations for war. He vowed to 'respond decisively to this geopolitical crisis and ongoing developments,' the Korean Central News Agency reported. There was no immediate comment from South Korea's military on the revelation of the new warship.
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