Latest news with #JuAe
Free Malaysia Today
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Serious accident at N. Korea's warship launch ceremony
Pyongyang unveiled another 5,000-tonne destroyer-class vessel named Choe Hyon last month. (KCNA/EPA Images pic) SEOUL : A major accident occurred at a launch ceremony for a new North Korean naval destroyer, state media reported today, with leader Kim Jong Un saying the mishap was a 'criminal act'. At a ceremony to launch a new 5,000-tonne destroyer in the eastern port city of Chongjin yesterday 'a serious accident occurred', the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. Blaming 'inexperienced command and operational carelessness' during the launch, which was being observed by Kim, KCNA said there was a mishap which left 'some sections of the warship's bottom crushed'. It said the accident managed to 'destroy the balance of the warship'. Kim watched the entire incident and declared it a 'criminal act caused by absolute carelessness', warning it 'could not be tolerated'. He said the 'irresponsible errors' of officials responsible would be 'dealt with at the plenary meeting of the party central committee to be convened next month.' Pyongyang unveiled another 5,000-tonne destroyer-class vessel named Choe Hyon last month. At the time, state media ran images of Kim attending a ceremony with his daughter Ju Ae, considered by many experts to be his likely successor. North Korea claimed the vessel was equipped with the 'most powerful weapons', and that it would 'enter into operation early next year'. Some analysts said the ship could be equipped with short-range tactical nuclear missiles – although North Korea has not proven it has the ability to miniaturise its nukes. The South Korean military has said the Choe Hyon could have been developed with Russian help – possibly in exchange for Pyongyang deploying thousands of troops to help Moscow fight Kyiv. Russia and North Korea recently announced that they had started building the first road bridge linking the two neighbours. North Korea also launched a flurry of ballistic missiles last year in violation of UN sanctions. Experts have long warned that the nuclear-armed North may be testing weapons for export to Russia for use against Ukraine. In March, Kim inspected a project to build a nuclear-powered submarine, asserting that 'radically' boosting the navy was a key part of Pyongyang's defensive strategy. Kim called at the time for the modernisation of the country's surface and underwater naval forces, including the development of warships. Pyongyang has previously claimed to be developing underwater nuclear attack drones, which could unleash a 'radioactive tsunami', but analysts have questioned whether it actually has such a weapon. Washington – Seoul's key security ally – has in recent years ramped up joint military exercises and increased the presence of strategic US assets, such as an aircraft carrier and a nuclear-powered submarine, in the region to deter the North. Pyongyang has repeatedly declared itself an 'irreversible' nuclear weapons state and routinely denounces joint US-South Korea drills as rehearsals for invasion.
New York Post
23-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un furious over failed destroyer launch, vows to arrest those responsible
North Korea is seeking to arrest those responsible for the failed launch of its second naval destroyer, as it denied the warship suffered major damage — a claim quickly met with outside skepticism. A statement from North Korea on its handling of the botched launch came after leader Kim Jong Un expressed fury over the incident that he said was caused by criminal negligence. The main military committee said Friday that those responsible would be held accountable for their 'unpardonable criminal act.' Advertisement 7 North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un attends the launch ceremony of a newly-built destroyer alongside his daughter Ju Ae on April 25, 2025. KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Images Satellite imagery on the site showed the vessel lying on its side and draped in blue covers, with parts of it submerged. North Korea says it will take about 10 days to repair the damage, but outside observers question that timeframe because damage to the ship appeared much worse than what North Korea claims. Advertisement Here is what you need to know about the failed ship launch: How much damage was there to the ship? North Korea's state media said Friday the severity of the damage to the 5,000-ton-class destroyer was 'not serious' as it canceled an earlier assessment that the bottom of the hull had been left with holes. It said the hull on the starboard side was scratched and some seawater had flowed into the stern section. It said it needs a total of 10 days to pump out the seawater, set the ship upright and fix the scratches. Advertisement It's almost impossible to verify the assessment because of the extremely secretive nature of North Korea. 7 Satellite footage captured the extensive damage the destroyer sustained in the launch, as the vessel sits in the water covered by tarps. @osc_london/X 7 The newly-built destroyer sits above the water before the launch ceremony on May 18, 2025. via REUTERS It has a history of manipulating or covering up military-related setbacks, policy fiascoes and other mishaps, though it has periodically acknowledged some in recent years. Advertisement Lee Illwoo, an expert with the Korea Defense Network in South Korea, said the North Korean warship likely suffered much worse damage, including the flooding of its engine room located in the stern section, and holes in the starboard. He said North Korea could simply set the ship upright, paint it over and claim the ship has been launched, but that repairs could take more than a year as the replacement of an engine requires cutting the hull. Why the ship's launch failed According to the North Korean account, the destroyer was damaged when a transport cradle on the ship's stern detached early during a launch ceremony at the northeastern port of Chongjin on Wednesday. Moon Keun-sik, a navy expert who teaches at Seoul's Hanyang University, said North Korean workers are probably not familiar with launching a 5,000-ton-class warship, which is a few times heavier than its existing main navy ships. 7 According to the North Korean account, the destroyer was damaged when a transport cradle on the ship's stern detached early during a launch ceremony at the northeastern port of Chongjin on Wednesday. via REUTERS Observers say North Korea tried to launch the destroyer sideways, a method it has never used for warships, although it has previously employed it with big cargo and passenger ships. Compared with those non-military vessels, Lee sad it would be more difficult to maintain balance with the destroyer because it's equipped with heavy weapons systems. He suspected North Korean scientists and officials likely did not factor that in. How Kim has reacted Advertisement The damaged ship is assessed as the same class as North Korea's first destroyer, launched with great fanfare last month with a floating dry dock at a western shipyard. It is North Korea's biggest and most advanced warship to date, and Kim called its construction 'a breakthrough' in modernizing North Korea's naval forces to cope with what he calls US-led security threats. Subsequently, a failure to launch the second destroyer was an embarrassment for Kim. 7 Kim Jong Un addresses a crowd during a launch ceremony at the western port of Nampo on April 25, 2025. AP Advertisement 7 Kim Jong Un and his daughter participate in a ceremony near the destroyer on April 26, 2025. KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Images But by disclosing the failure both internally and externally, Kim could be trying to show his resolve in building greater naval forces and boosting discipline at home. He ordered officials to repair the warship before a ruling Workers' Party meeting in late June. The official Korean Central News Agency said Friday that a team of prosecutors and experts began steps to arrest and investigate those responsible as part of their full-scale investigation into the case. KCNA said that Hong Kil Ho, manager of the Chongjin shipyard, has been summoned for questioning. Advertisement 7 Kim Jong Un attends looks on during a launch ceremony for the country's new Naval destroyer. KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Images 'No matter how good the state of the warship is, the fact that the accident is an unpardonable criminal act remains unchanged, and those responsible for it can never evade their responsibility for the crime,' the North's Central Military Commission said in an instruction to the investigation team, according to KCNA. Kim Dong-yub, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said North Korea appears to be using the failed launch as a chance to strengthen the ruling party's control over science and technological sectors. Advertisement Lee Choon Geun, an honorary research fellow at South Korea's Science and Technology Policy Institute, said that North Korea's handling of the damaged warship could have long-term consequences for its defense science sector. 'If scientists are held severely accountable, I would say the future of North Korea's defense science doesn't look very bright, as it would be a sign that political responsibility is being prioritized over technical accountability,' Lee wrote on Facebook.
Telegraph
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Kim Jong-un watches in horror as new warship is crushed in launch failure
A major accident occurred during the launch ceremony of a new North Korean warship on Thursday, which Kim Jong-un denounced as a 'criminal act'. Kim, who witnessed the failed launch of the 5,000-ton destroyer, declared the incident a 'criminal act caused by absolute carelessness' and warned it 'could not be tolerated'. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the accident at the eastern port of Chongjin was caused by a loss of balance while the vessel was being launched. It left 'some sections of the warship's bottom crushed' and the bow was unable to exit the shipway, KCNA added. The report did not mention whether there were any casualties. Kim said the accident 'brought the dignity and self-respect of our state to a collapse' and vowed to hold officials accountable for the 'irresponsible errors'. The North Korean leader said they would be dealt with at the plenary meeting of the Party Central Committee to be convened next month. He ordered for repairs on the warship to be completed before June. The rare public disclosure of the accident comes after Pyongyang unveiled another 5,000-ton destroyer-class vessel named Choe Hyon last month. At the time, state media ran images of Kim attending a ceremony with his daughter Ju Ae, considered by many experts to be his likely successor. North Korea claimed the vessel was equipped with the 'most powerful weapons', and that it would 'enter into operation early next year'. Some analysts said the ship could be equipped with short-range tactical nuclear missiles - although North Korea has not proven it has the ability to miniaturise its nukes. In a report last week on preparations for the launch of the accident ship, US-based analysis website 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.
CNA
22-05-2025
- Politics
- CNA
'Serious' accident at North Korea warship launch ceremony
SEOUL: A major accident occurred at a launch ceremony for a new North Korean naval destroyer, state media reported on Thursday (May 22), with leader Kim Jong Un saying the mishap was a "criminal act". At a ceremony to launch a new 5,000-ton destroyer in the eastern port city of Chongjin on Wednesday "a serious accident occurred", the official Korean Central News Agency said. Blaming "inexperienced command and operational carelessness" during the launch, which was being observed by Kim, KCNA said there was a mishap which left "some sections of the warship's bottom crushed". It said the accident managed to "destroy the balance of the warship". Kim watched the entire incident and declared it a "criminal act caused by absolute carelessness", warning it "could not be tolerated". He said the "irresponsible errors" of officials responsible would be "dealt with at the plenary meeting of the Party Central Committee to be convened next month". Pyongyang unveiled another 5,000-ton destroyer-class vessel named Choe Hyon last month. At the time, state media ran images of Kim attending a ceremony with his daughter Ju Ae, considered by many experts to be his likely successor. North Korea claimed the vessel was equipped with the "most powerful weapons", and that it would "enter into operation early next year". Some analysts said the ship could be equipped with short-range tactical nuclear missiles - although North Korea has not proven it has the ability to miniaturise its nukes. STRENGTHING THE NAVY The South Korean military has said the Choe Hyon could have been developed with Russian help - possibly in exchange for Pyongyang deploying thousands of troops to help Moscow fight Kyiv. Russia and North Korea recently announced that they had started building the first road bridge linking the two neighbours. North Korea also launched a flurry of ballistic missiles last year in violation of UN sanctions. Experts have long warned that the nuclear-armed North may be testing weapons for export to Russia for use against Ukraine. In March, Kim inspected a project to build a nuclear-powered submarine, asserting that "radically" boosting the navy was a key part of Pyongyang's defensive strategy. Kim called at the time for the modernisation of the country's surface and underwater naval forces, including the development of warships. Pyongyang has previously claimed to be developing underwater nuclear attack drones, which could unleash a "radioactive tsunami", but analysts have questioned whether it actually has such a weapon. Washington - Seoul's key security ally - has in recent years ramped up joint military exercises and increased the presence of strategic US assets, such as an aircraft carrier and a nuclear-powered submarine, in the region to deter the North. Pyongyang has repeatedly declared itself an "irreversible" nuclear weapons state and routinely denounces joint US-South Korea drills as rehearsals for invasion.
Sharjah 24
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Sharjah 24
North Korea tests new destroyer's weapons system
New warship "Choe Hyon" unveiled Over the weekend, North Korea unveiled a new 5,000-ton destroyer-class vessel named Choe Hyon , which analysts believe could be fitted with short-range tactical nuclear missiles. Kim personally oversaw the first day of a two-day weapons test involving the new ship. Weapons test showcases ship-based missiles State media reported that the destroyer carried out tests involving ship-to-ship tactical guided weapons, automatic guns, smoke and electronic jamming systems. On Monday, additional tests included a supersonic cruise missile, strategic cruise missile, anti-aircraft missile, and a 127 mm ship-based gun. Kim highlights combined strike capabilities Kim praised the integration of powerful ship-based weaponry with advanced strike systems, including cruise and tactical ballistic missiles. He emphasized accelerating the nuclear arming of the navy to enhance deterrence. South Korea and US monitoring North Korea's naval developments Seoul's defense ministry confirmed it is monitoring North Korea's military shipbuilding activities in cooperation with the United States. Possible military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow The naval development news came shortly after Pyongyang confirmed that it had sent troops to support Russia in Ukraine. Moscow also acknowledged the presence of North Korean soldiers in its military operations. Analysts suggest North Korea may have received modern weapons from Russia in exchange. Kim attends launch ceremony with daughter State media released images of Kim and his daughter Ju Ae attending the launch ceremony of the Choe Hyon , fueling speculation about her future role as his successor. Naval expansion part of broader military strategy Kim has previously emphasised the need for a 'radical' enhancement of naval power, including nuclear-powered submarines. While Pyongyang claims to be developing underwater nuclear drones, analysts remain skeptical about the credibility of such capabilities. Regional tensions and strategic response The United States and South Korea have intensified joint military drills and deployed strategic assets to the region in response to North Korea's growing threats. Pyongyang, which calls itself an 'irreversible' nuclear weapons state, views these exercises as provocations. Naval tests signal blue-water ambitions Experts say this week's naval tests indicate North Korea's ambitions to carry out long-range, open-sea operations. 'The new destroyer suggests Pyongyang is moving toward a blue-water navy,' said Yang Moo-jin of the University of North Korean Studies.
