Latest news with #ChoHyon
Newsweek
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
North Korea Using Balloons To Salvage Doomed Warship: Analyst
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. New satellite imagery shows North Korea deploying what appear to be balloons to assist in the recovery of a navy ship that had keeled over during its launch last week—an accident that has embarrassed leader Kim Jong Un. Newsweek reached out to the North Korean Embassy in Beijing by email with a request for comment. Why It Matters Pyongyang is building out its military amid flaring tensions with Seoul. Kim has cited joint war games between South Korea and its U.S. ally as "provocations" that justify the modernization efforts—including the country's ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs. The new vessel, a guided-missile destroyer, was meant to be a symbol of national prestige amid efforts to strengthen the Korean People's Navy, which is largely composed of aging warships and smaller fast-attack craft. The damaged destroyer was the second to be constructed, with the first one—the Cho Hyon—reportedly undergoing weapons testing late last month. An image captured on May 22, 2025, by U.S. commercial satellite company Planet shows North Korea's new navy destroyer, which capsized on launch on May 21 at Hambuk Shipyard in the northern port city of... An image captured on May 22, 2025, by U.S. commercial satellite company Planet shows North Korea's new navy destroyer, which capsized on launch on May 21 at Hambuk Shipyard in the northern port city of Chongjin. More Planet Labs PBC What To Know The stricken destroyer dislodged from the slipway on Wednesday—"a serious accident," according to North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. The launch ceremony in the northeastern city of Chongjin had been overseen by Kim himself, KCNA said. Images supplied to Newsweek by the U.S. commercial satellite firm Planet showed much of the ship—apparently partially submerged—covered in blue tarpaulins in an apparent attempt to conceal damage to the vessel's hull. North Korea appears to be attempting to lift up their destroyer with methods inspired by Pixar's hit 2009 film Up. Note the numerous balloons in the air above the destroyer. — Decker Eveleth (@dex_eve) May 25, 2025 Additional satellite imagery shared on Sunday by Decker Eveleth, a strategic forces analyst at the the Center for Naval Analyses, a Virginia think tank, appeared to show several balloons floating overhead as part of efforts to right the 5,000-ton vessel. "North Korea appears to be attempting to lift up their destroyer with methods inspired by Pixar's hit 2009 film Up. Note the numerous balloons in the air above the destroyer," Eveleth wrote. The same balloon objects have been visible in satellite imagery since Friday, according to posts on X. North Korea's KCNA said the damage was not as serious as initially reported, and that efforts were underway to pump water out of a flooded chamber. Western analysts, however, are doubtful that Pyongyang will be able to meet the stated salvage timeline of "10-odd days." What People Have Said Korean Central News Agency: "At the scene of the destroyer launch accident, the work for completely restoring the balance of the warship is being actively conducted under the technical guidance of an expert group according to its schedule." Jennifer Jun, imagery analysts at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told The War Zone: "Even if North Korea manages to right the vessel within the '10-odd days,' restoring its original capabilities will almost certainly take longer. I'd also be remiss not to mention that given the political stakes, those responsible for reporting this to Kim have strong incentives to downplay the extent of the damage." What's Next Ri Hyong Son, vice department director of the ruling Workers' Party's Munitions Industry Department, has been detained after being deemed "greatly responsible" for the incident, KCNA said on Monday. North Korean state media said previously that authorities were investigating to "expose the cause of the accident which should never occur and could not be tolerated and those responsible for it."
Miami Herald
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Satellite Photos Over North Korea Reveal Kim's Partially Sunken New Warship
New satellite imagery offers a detailed look at the North Korean destroyer damaged in a failed launch that infuriated Kim Jong Un, who was present during the incident. The 5,000-ton warship appears to be keeled over, stuck on a slideway in the northeast city of Chongjin, and may be partially submerged, analysts say. The destroyer is the second to be constructed following the launch of the Cho Hyon, which North Korea unveiled with much acclaim in late April and which has since begun weapons systems testing. The Kim regime has stepped up efforts to modernize its armed forces, including its United Nations-sanctioned nuclear weapons program and ballistic missile fleet, citing "provocations" by the U.S. and Washington's South Korean and Japanese allies. Newsweek reached out to the North Korean embassy in Beijing by email with a request for comment. During Thursday's launch, the bottom of the destroyer's hull was pierced after a transport cradle beneath the stern section slid off and became stuck, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Images supplied to Newsweek by U.S. commercial satellite firm Planet confirmed the ship was resting in an awkward position at Chongjin's Hambuk Shipyard Thursday, partially covered by blue tarpaulins to mask the damage. A high-definition image captured by Germany-based Airbus Defence and Space shows the vessel listing heavily to starboard. "Vessel now covered, but angle consistent with reporting bow got stuck on slideway. It is likely the vessel may be on its side or at least partially submerged," Joseph Dempsey, research associate for defense and military analysis at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "North Korea's admission of failure is rare but would have likely been undeniable once satellite imagery revealed the extent of the 'serious accident,'" he added. The Korean Central News Agency reported: "Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un made a stern assessment, saying that it was a serious accident and criminal act caused by sheer carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism which should never occur and could not be tolerated." Sidharth Kaushal, Senior Research Fellow at London-based Royal United Services Institute think tank, was quoted by X account Open Source Centre as saying: "The Choe Hyon class represents North Korea's most ambitious naval project to date and its construction was a departure from practice for a navy historically focused on its littorals." Kim called for the destroyer to be restored as soon as possible, setting a deadline for completion ahead of the key June meeting of the Workers' Party of Korea's Central Committee, according to KCNA. He stressed that the issue was not only a practical one but also a political matter tied to state prestige. In a speech delivered in late April, the leader announced plans to begin construction of additional warships in 2026, including a cruiser and various escort vessels. Related Articles North Korea's Kim Could Face War Crimes Charge: Ex-ICC ChiefNorth Korean Ship Damaged on Launch in Blow to Kim's Navy AmbitionsChina and North Korea's Militaries Don't Trust Each Other: US IntelUS Issues Update on North Korea Military Power 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Satellite Photos Over North Korea Reveal Kim's Partially Sunken New Warship
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. New satellite imagery offers a detailed look at the North Korean destroyer damaged in a failed launch that infuriated Kim Jong Un, who was present during the incident. The 5,000-ton warship appears to be keeled over, stuck on a slideway in the northeast city of Chongjin, and may be partially submerged, analysts say. An image captured on May 12, 2025, by U.S. commercial satellite company Planet shows North Korea's new navy destroyer prior to its attempted launch on May 21 at Hambuk Shipyard in the northern port city... An image captured on May 12, 2025, by U.S. commercial satellite company Planet shows North Korea's new navy destroyer prior to its attempted launch on May 21 at Hambuk Shipyard in the northern port city of Chongjin. More Planet Labs PBC Why It Matters The destroyer is the second to be constructed following the launch of the Cho Hyon, which North Korea unveiled with much acclaim in late April and which has since begun weapons systems testing. The Kim regime has stepped up efforts to modernize its armed forces, including its United Nations-sanctioned nuclear weapons program and ballistic missile fleet, citing "provocations" by the U.S. and Washington's South Korean and Japanese allies. Newsweek reached out to the North Korean embassy in Beijing by email with a request for comment. Drag slider compare photos What To Know During Thursday's launch, the bottom of the destroyer's hull was pierced after a transport cradle beneath the stern section slid off and became stuck, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Images supplied to Newsweek by U.S. commercial satellite firm Planet confirmed the ship was resting in an awkward position at Chongjin's Hambuk Shipyard Thursday, partially covered by blue tarpaulins to mask the damage. A higher-definition image captured by Germany-based Airbus Defence and Space shows the vessel listing heavily to starboard. North Korea's latest naval destroyer has been significantly damaged prior to its launch. In a rare acknowledgment, North Korea's state news agency KCNA reported yesterday an incident occurred with a new destroyer in Chongjin, which was close to being launched. — Open Source Centre (@osc_london) May 22, 2025 "Vessel now covered, but angle consistent with reporting bow got stuck on slideway. It is likely the vessel may be on its side or at least partially submerged," Joseph Dempsey, research associate for defense and military analysis at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "North Korea's admission of failure is rare but would have likely been undeniable once satellite imagery revealed the extent of the 'serious accident,'" he added. What People Are Saying The Korean Central News Agency reported: "Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un made a stern assessment, saying that it was a serious accident and criminal act caused by sheer carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism which should never occur and could not be tolerated." Sidharth Kaushal, Senior Research Fellow at London-based Royal United Services Institute think tank, was quoted by X account Open Source Centre as saying: "The Choe Hyon class represents North Korea's most ambitious naval project to date and its construction was a departure from practice for a navy historically focused on its littorals." What Happens Next Kim called for the destroyer to be restored as soon as possible, setting a deadline for completion ahead of the key June meeting of the Workers' Party of Korea's Central Committee, according to KCNA. He stressed that the issue was not only a practical one but also a political matter tied to state prestige. In a speech delivered in late April, the leader announced plans to begin construction of additional warships in 2026, including a cruiser and various escort vessels.
Miami Herald
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
US Satellites Capture New North Korean Destroyer Under Construction
New satellite imagery shows North Korea is building another destroyer for its navy. Newsweek reached out to the North Korean embassy in China with an emailed request for comment. North Korea is moving to modernize its armed forces, including its navy-a modest fleet largely made up of aging warships and smaller fast attack craft. The regime is also pressing forward with its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. This U.S. and its South Korean and Japanese allies have responded by stepping up joint exercises simulating a North Korean attack-activities Pyongyang condemns as "provocations." The latest satellite photos, released on Monday by the Center for Strategic and International Studies Korea Chair's Beyond Parallel program, show construction on the second Cho Hyon-class destroyer well underway. Analysis of the 470-foot hull reveals what appear to be vertical launch systems for anti-ship and anti-ballistic missiles. CSIS experts said the vessel will likely be capable of firing anti-ship, anti-submarine, anti-ballistic, and anti-air missiles, in addition to tactical and land-attack missiles. Though construction has been known since spring 2024 and was suspected to be a new destroyer, identifying features were obscured for much of that time by netting. Notably, the warship is being built at Hambuk Shipyard in Chongjin on the northeast coast-a departure from the usual site for surface ship construction, the western port of Nampho. The images come just weeks after the launch of the Cho Hyon, the lead ship in the destroyer class and largest surface combatant in the Korean People's Navy-constructed at the Nampho shipyard. Kim Jong Un presided over the initial weapons test for that ship on April 28 and 29, according to the Korean Central News Agency. Kim called for the acceleration of the "nuclearization of the navy" to defend North Korea's sovereignty from current and future threats, the state-run outlet said. In March, Pyongyang also announced the construction of its first nuclear-powered submarine. A CSIS analysis by Victor Cha, Jennifer Jun, and Joseph Bermudez Jr. stated: "Considering that the Hambuk Shipyard at Chongjin is primarily known for producing cargo and fishing vessels, the construction of the DDGHM [guided missile destroyer] here likely reflects a broader and directed effort by North Korea to expand and diversify the scale and geographical distribution of its naval production capabilities." Kim Jong Un, North Korean supreme leader, said during the April 26 launch ceremony for the nation's first destroyer: "Today's launch of this destroyer is only the start of the project for modernizing our naval forces. However, it is a perfect demonstration of our grand ambition to build up the fighting capability of our Navy in keeping with the priority requirement for the state's security and the global trend in developing the naval forces." Kim said the Cho Hyon would enter service in early 2026 and that construction on additional ships in the class would begin next year as well. He also announced plans to build an even more capable warship-a cruiser-as well as "escort ships of various classes." Related Articles Photos Show Allied Jets Escorting US Bombers in New Frontline DrillsUS and Ally Stage Naval Drills in Warning to North KoreaUS Ally To Test Futuristic Weapon for Hypersonic Missile DefenseKim Jong Un Says US Weapons 'Tacky, Defective' 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
