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Asahi Shimbun
a day ago
- General
- Asahi Shimbun
North Korea pulls capsized warship upright after botched launch, report says
In this photo provided by the North Korean government, its leader Kim Jong Un speaks during a launching ceremony of a new naval destroyer at a western port in Nampo, North Korea, on April 25. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via REUTERS) SEOUL--North Korea appears to have returned to an upright position its stricken Choe Hyun Class destroyer that partially capsized during a botched launching ceremony, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday. Leader Kim Jong Un, who witnessed the failed launch of the 5,000-ton warship, said the accident damaged the country's dignity and vowed to punish those found responsible. Commercial satellite imagery from June 2 showed the destroyer upright for the first time since the May 21 accident, the 38 North program, which studies the nuclear-armed North, said in a report. Since the accident, North Korea has said it detained several officials, and Kim ordered the ship restored before a ruling party meeting this month. 'Commercial satellite imagery shows workers at the port in Chongjin have taken a significant step towards that goal,' 38 North said in its report. Workers were observed pulling tethers, and possibly using barrage balloons, in a manual effort to right the ship, it added. The imagery shows the vessel's bow still on land, with possible damage to its sonar section. 'To repair this, the ship will need to be moved out of the water to either a large floating drydock or graving dock once afloat,' 38 North said. 'However, Chongjin's shipyard does not offer this infrastructure.' The east coast shipyard has turned out primarily cargo and fishing vessels and lacks significant expertise in launching large warships such as the new destroyer, other military experts have said.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
China, North Korea, and Russia's Response to Trump's ‘Golden Dome' Proposal
In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, supervises a drill of long-range artillery and missile systems at North Korea's eastern coast on May 8, 2025. Credit - Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service/AP President Donald Trump has promised a 'Golden Dome' that will protect the United States. But America's rivals see the announcement last week of the plans for a new space-based missile defense system as provocation. Trump's proposal, which as proposed remains years away from being operational, has many uncertainties, not least cost. The 'Golden Dome,' modeled after Israel's 'Iron Dome,' would consist of a constellation of interceptors, satellites, and sensors 'capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from other sides of the world,' according to the President. But the biggest question is whether it would even make the U.S. and world safer. Critics have raised concerns that the effort to create such a shield would raise suspicions and exacerbate a global arms race as well as accelerate the weaponization of space. Here's how some other nations have already responded to the 'Golden Dome.' North Korean state media on May 27 reported that the foreign ministry condemned Trump's proposed 'Golden Dome,' saying it was an 'outer space nuclear war scenario supporting the U.S. strategy for uni-polar domination,' and added that it was a 'typical product of 'America first', the height of self-righteousness, arrogance, high-handed and arbitrary practice.' The nuclear-armed state boasts one of the world's largest militaries with some 1.3 million active-duty personnel. It is known for regularly launching missile tests—47 in 2024 alone—including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that theoretically can reach the U.S. mainland. North Korea also has an estimated 70-90 nuclear weapons, according to the D.C.-based Arms Control Association, and the U.S. Defense officials have said it is continuing to expand its arsenal. According to the state media report on the foreign ministry's memorandum about the Golden Dome, the U.S. is using the pretense of a defensive project to 'attempt to militarize outer space' and 'preemptively attain military superiority in an all-round way.' Earlier this month, before Trump announced the Golden Dome project from the Oval Office but after having discussed the idea for many months, Russia issued a joint statement with China in which they called the planned program 'deeply destabilizing in nature.' In the statement, the two countries said the Golden Dome was 'a complete and ultimate rejection to recognize the existence of the inseparable interrelationship between strategic offensive arms and strategic defensive arms.' It also opposed how countries are using space for armed conflict, saying that it will jointly counter security policies and activities aimed at using outer space as a 'warfighting domain.' But after Trump spoke further about his plans for the Golden Dome at the Oval Office last week, the Kremlin offered a more muted response. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told local media that the project was 'a sovereign matter' for the U.S., adding: 'If the United States believes there is a missile threat, then of course it will develop a missile defense system.' Peskov also said Russia will not yet assess the threat to nuclear parity with the U.S. as details of the project remained scant. Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said that while Moscow needs to take the Golden Dome project seriously, 'Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated that our strategic systems are equipped so that we can reliably break through any air defense systems, including layered ones.' Many of Russia's space programs are limited by international sanctions, but its missile arsenal still poses a notable air attack threat. Information from the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency shows that by 2035 Russia may have 1,000 boosted hypersonic weapons, some 5,000 land attack cruise missiles, and around 400 ICBMs. A congressional report in May also outlined the ability of Russia's missiles to carry nuclear warheads and how it has used the threat of a nuclear attack to prevent any sort of international intervention in its occupation of Ukraine. After issuing the joint statement with Russia, China continued to criticize the U.S. over its Golden Dome plan, urging Trump to trash it. 'The project will heighten the risk of turning the space into a war zone and creating a space arms race, and shake the international security and arms control system,' Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said in a regular press briefing on May 21. The Pentagon views China as a strong missile threat that's undergone considerable development over the past two decades. According to a 2024 report, China had 'the world's leading hypersonic missile arsenal,' possessing more than 600 nuclear warheads and some 400 ICBMs. According to the Defense Department's 2022 Missile Defense Review, China 'utilizes Russian-developed air and missile defense systems while also pursuing indigenous capabilities that are growing in sophistication.' Contact us at letters@
Western Telegraph
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Western Telegraph
North Korea vows to arrest those responsible for failed ship launch
The 5,000-tonne-class warship 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, state media said. Satellite imagery on the site showed the vessel lying on its side, with most of its hull submerged and draped in blue covers. North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Friday that the severity of the damage was 'not serious' and could be repaired in about 10 days. Kim Jong Un speaks during a launching ceremony of a new naval destroyer at a western port in Nampo, North Korea (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via A) It said the hull on the starboard side was scratched and some seawater had flowed into the stern section, though it denied an earlier assessment that the bottom of the hull had been left with holes. The extremely secretive nature of North Korea makes it almost impossible to verify the assessment. North Korea has a history of manipulating or covering up military-related setbacks, policy fiascoes and other mishaps, though it has periodically acknowledged some of such events in recent years. Observers believe North Korea's admission of the failed launch was likely meant to show Mr Kim's resolve to advance his naval capabilities and boost discipline. The North's Central Military Commission summoned Hong Kil Ho, manager of the Chongjin shipyard, as it began its investigation of the failed launch, KCNA reported. '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 commission said, according to KCNA. Mr Kim, who was present at the failed launch, had blamed military officials, scientists and shipyard operators and ordered that the warship be repaired before a high-level ruling Workers' Party meeting in late June. The damaged ship is assessed as the same class as North Korea's first destroyer, unveiled last month with great fanfare and said to be capable of carrying various weapons, including nuclear missiles. Analysts say it is the North's biggest and most advanced warship to date and was likely built with Russian assistance. The North Korea-focused 38 North website had assessed last week that North Korea was preparing to launch the destroyer in Chongjin with a method it has rarely used. The report said the ship was being prepared to be launched sideways from the quay, while the previous destroyer launched at the western shipyard of Nampo used a floating dry dock.
Glasgow Times
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
North Korea vows to arrest those responsible for failed ship launch
The 5,000-tonne-class warship 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, state media said. Satellite imagery on the site showed the vessel lying on its side, with most of its hull submerged and draped in blue covers. North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Friday that the severity of the damage was 'not serious' and could be repaired in about 10 days. Kim Jong Un speaks during a launching ceremony of a new naval destroyer at a western port in Nampo, North Korea (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via A) It said the hull on the starboard side was scratched and some seawater had flowed into the stern section, though it denied an earlier assessment that the bottom of the hull had been left with holes. The extremely secretive nature of North Korea makes it almost impossible to verify the assessment. North Korea has a history of manipulating or covering up military-related setbacks, policy fiascoes and other mishaps, though it has periodically acknowledged some of such events in recent years. Observers believe North Korea's admission of the failed launch was likely meant to show Mr Kim's resolve to advance his naval capabilities and boost discipline. The North's Central Military Commission summoned Hong Kil Ho, manager of the Chongjin shipyard, as it began its investigation of the failed launch, KCNA reported. '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 commission said, according to KCNA. Mr Kim, who was present at the failed launch, had blamed military officials, scientists and shipyard operators and ordered that the warship be repaired before a high-level ruling Workers' Party meeting in late June. The damaged ship is assessed as the same class as North Korea's first destroyer, unveiled last month with great fanfare and said to be capable of carrying various weapons, including nuclear missiles. Analysts say it is the North's biggest and most advanced warship to date and was likely built with Russian assistance. The North Korea-focused 38 North website had assessed last week that North Korea was preparing to launch the destroyer in Chongjin with a method it has rarely used. The report said the ship was being prepared to be launched sideways from the quay, while the previous destroyer launched at the western shipyard of Nampo used a floating dry dock.
Leader Live
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Leader Live
North Korea vows to arrest those responsible for failed ship launch
The 5,000-tonne-class warship 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, state media said. Satellite imagery on the site showed the vessel lying on its side, with most of its hull submerged and draped in blue covers. North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Friday that the severity of the damage was 'not serious' and could be repaired in about 10 days. Kim Jong Un speaks during a launching ceremony of a new naval destroyer at a western port in Nampo, North Korea (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via A) It said the hull on the starboard side was scratched and some seawater had flowed into the stern section, though it denied an earlier assessment that the bottom of the hull had been left with holes. The extremely secretive nature of North Korea makes it almost impossible to verify the assessment. North Korea has a history of manipulating or covering up military-related setbacks, policy fiascoes and other mishaps, though it has periodically acknowledged some of such events in recent years. Observers believe North Korea's admission of the failed launch was likely meant to show Mr Kim's resolve to advance his naval capabilities and boost discipline. The North's Central Military Commission summoned Hong Kil Ho, manager of the Chongjin shipyard, as it began its investigation of the failed launch, KCNA reported. '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 commission said, according to KCNA. Mr Kim, who was present at the failed launch, had blamed military officials, scientists and shipyard operators and ordered that the warship be repaired before a high-level ruling Workers' Party meeting in late June. The damaged ship is assessed as the same class as North Korea's first destroyer, unveiled last month with great fanfare and said to be capable of carrying various weapons, including nuclear missiles. Analysts say it is the North's biggest and most advanced warship to date and was likely built with Russian assistance. The North Korea-focused 38 North website had assessed last week that North Korea was preparing to launch the destroyer in Chongjin with a method it has rarely used. The report said the ship was being prepared to be launched sideways from the quay, while the previous destroyer launched at the western shipyard of Nampo used a floating dry dock.
