Latest news with #Nampo
Telegraph
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
North Korean dockworkers arrested after landmark warship capsizes
North Korea arrested three shipyard officials after a flagship new navy destroyer capsized in front of leader Kim Jong-un. State media said authorities detained the chief engineer at Chongjin shipyard, the head of its hull-construction workshop and a deputy manager. The arrests have raised concerns that the officials could face execution given the regime's history of severe punishment for public failures. The news followed Wednesday's failed launch at the north-eastern port that Mr Kim witnessed the 5,000-ton warship on its side. The destroyer lost balance as engineers tried pushing it sideways into water. Satellite images show the vessel's stern submerged while its bow remained on the launch ramp, covered by blue tarpaulins. New surveillance images on Sunday showed a salvage operation underway. Mr Kim called the failure a 'criminal act' and promised punishment. He said on Thursday the accident was caused by 'absolute carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism'. Mr Kim added that those who made 'irresponsible errors' would be dealt with at a plenary meeting next month. His Central Military Commission said the accident was 'unpardonable' and would prompt action against lax attitudes. The incident contrasts with North Korea's successful destroyer launch in April at Nampo port, where engineers used a dry dock method instead of sideways launching. Analysts say Chongjin shipyard was probably not prepared for launching destroyers, the largest warships North Korea has built. The shipyard mainly builds cargo ships, fishing boats, and dredgers, and probably lacks the experience needed to build and launch large warships. Launching large ships sideways requires precise balancing, and North Korea had never used this method for warships before. Heavy weapons on the destroyer may have complicated the process. South Korean analysts suggested pressure from Kim to replicate April's success may have led engineers to cut corners. North Korea initially reported the accident tore holes in the hull but later said inspection revealed only scratches despite seawater entering the vessel. Officials estimated several days to restore balance by pumping out water, plus 10 days for repairs. Mr Kim ordered restoration before a June ruling party meeting. The launch was intended as an elaborate ceremony highlighting Mr Kim's naval modernisation efforts before what appeared to be a large crowd. Defence ministry officials vowed to 'thoroughly contain and control all sorts of military threats from enemy countries.' North Korea has historically executed officials over major failures. In July last year, South Korean intelligence reported possible executions of at least 30 North Korean officials after devastating floods that killed up to 1,500 people. Analysts say the destroyer incident marks another embarrassing moment for Mr Kim, who has sought to show military strength in modernising North Korea's ageing fleet.
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Kim Jong Un lets rip after warship capsizes during launch in North Korea
The unveiling of a new North Korean naval destroyer went horribly wrong as the ship capsized in front of 'supreme' leader Kim Jong Un, according to state media. Kim watched on in horror as the 5,000-ton warship fell off the dry dock and was severely damaged after failing to launch properly. He declared the mishap a 'criminal act caused by absolute carelessness' that 'could not be tolerated'. Kim was less than impressed by the blunder, saying: '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 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.' The new ship appears to be of the same class as the 5,000-ton destroyer Choi Hyun-ho that North Korea launched in April. Kim unveiled the nuclear-capable naval destroyer that he said will bolster North Korea's ability to defend itself in the face of perceived aggression from the U.S. and its regional allies. The North Korean leader attended the warship's launch ceremony last month at the western port of Nampo with his teenage daughter Kim Ju Ae (pictured left), according to state-run media. 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 U.S. and its allies in Asia, said the destroyer would be handed over to the navy early next year before beginning active duty. War footing: The North Korean leader is arming against a perceived threat from the U.S. 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 U.S. 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.
BreakingNews.ie
23-05-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
North Korea vows to arrest those responsible for failed ship launch
North Korea said it began steps to investigate and arrest those responsible for the failed launch of its second naval destroyer after leader Kim Jong Un expressed fury over the incident that he said was caused by criminal negligence. 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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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.
CBS News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Kim Jong Un fumes as North Korea's new warship damaged due to "absolute carelessness" in launch accident
Seoul, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vented fury at his own military and other officials Wednesday after his country's second naval destroyer was damaged in a failed launch that he was there to witness, state media reported Thursday. Kim wants bigger warships to deal with what he calls escalating U.S.-led threats against his country, amid a long-simmering standoff over his nuclear weapons. It is uncommon for North Korea to acknowledge military-related setbacks or accidents, and observers say the disclosure of the failed ship launch suggests Kim is serious about his naval advancement program and confident of ultimately achieving that objective. During a launching event at the northeastern port of Chongjin on Wednesday, the newly built 5,000-ton-class destroyer became unbalanced and was punctured in its bottom sections after a transport cradle on the stern section slid off first and became stuck, according to the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency. KCNA didn't provide details on what caused the problem, the severity of the damage or whether anyone was injured. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends a ceremony for the launch of a "new multipurpose destroyer," as per the state-run KCNA news agency, in Nampo, North Korea, in a handout photo released on April 26, 2025, by KCNA. The agency said Kim was on hand for a second launch event of another destroyer on May 21, 2025, which ended in an accident that damaged the brand new vessel. KCNA/Reuters According to KCNA, Kim, who was present at the ceremony, blamed military officials, scientists and shipyard operators for a "serious accident and criminal act caused by absolute carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism." Kim called for a ruling Workers' Party meeting slated for late June to address their "irresponsible errors." "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. The damaged vessel was likely the same class as the country's first destroyer unveiled last month, which experts assessed as North Korea's largest and most advanced warship to date. Kim called the first vessel, named Choe Hyon — a famed Korean guerilla fighter during the Japanese colonial period — a significant asset for advancing his goal of expanding the military's operational range and nuclear strike capabilities. A view of a "new multipurpose destroyer," as per state media KCNA's reports, in Nampo, North Korea, in this handout picture released on April 26, 2025, by the Korean Central News Agency. KCNA/Reuters State media described that ship as designed to carry weapons systems including nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles. Kim said the ship was expected to enter active duty early next year and later supervised test-firings of missiles from the warship. Lee Sung Joon, spokesperson for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Thursday that the damaged vessel was likely equipped with similar systems and remains toppled over in the sea. Satellite images from Planet Labs PBC appeared to show the vessel rolled onto its side, positioned diagonally from the dock, with most of its hull submerged and draped in blue covers. A satellite image from Planet Labs PBC shows what appear to be blue tarps covering a North Korean destroyer after it suffered a failed launch, in Chongjin, North Korea, May 22, 2025. Planet Labs PBC via AP Earlier commercial satellite images indicated that the country was building its second destroyer at a shipyard in Chongjin. Beyond Parallel, a website run by the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, said the satellite imagery of Chongjin's Hambuk shipyard on May 12 showed that a second vessel in the Choe Hyon-class of guided missile destroyers was under construction. A report by the North Korea-focused 38 North website assessed last week that the destroyer in Chongjin was being prepared to be launched sideways from the quay, a method that has been rarely used in North Korea. The report said the previous destroyer launched at the western shipyard of Nampo, in contrast, used a floating dry dock. A satellite image from Planet Labs PBC shows a North Korean destroyer before it is put to sea in Chongjin, North Korea, May 20, 2025. Planet Labs PBC via AP South Korean officials and experts say the Choe Hyon destroyer was likely built with Russian assistance as the two countries' military partnerships are booming. North Korea has provided Russia's Vladimir Putin with equipment and even soldiers to aid in his ongoing invasion of neighboring Ukraine. While North Korea's naval forces are considered far inferior to those of its rivals, analysts say the destroyer with nuclear-capable missiles and an advanced radar system would still enhance the North's offensive and defensive capabilities. Kim has framed the arms buildup as a response to perceived threats from the United States and South Korea, which have been expanding joint military exercises in response to the North's advancing nuclear program. In April, the U.S. military flew long-range B-1B bombers over the Korean Peninsula in joint exercise with the South, in a show of force against North Korea days after Kim's powerful sister vowed to resist a U.S.-led push to eliminate the Pyongyang's nuclear program He says the acquisition of a nuclear-powered submarine would be his next big step in strengthening the North Korean navy. Hours after releasing the report on the damaged destroyer, North Korea test-fired multiple cruise missiles from an area about 300 kilometers (185 miles) south of Chongjin, according to South Korea's military. The launches were a continuation of a streak of weapons-testing activities by North Korea in recent years. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the launches were being analyzed by South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities.
DW
21-05-2025
- Politics
- DW
South Africa's Ramaphosa visits Trump amid strained ties – DW – 05/21/2025
South Africa's government has said it hopes this working visit to the US will help "reset" relations with the Trump administration. Beyond that, it also wants to set the record straight on various issues raised by Trump as justification for worsening relations. The Trump administration has made several unfounded allegations, including saying that white farmers are being killed in a "genocide" and alleging that their land is being stolen due to a new expropriation law that is yet to be implemented. Afrikaner lobby groups such as Afriforum have actively engaged with Trump since his first presidency, lobbying for action against the South African government. However, even Afriforum was surprised by Trump's decision to grant these groups refugee status. Trump's comments have caused a lot of concern in different sectors in South Africa and many South Africans want the government to set the record straight on these issues. Last week, I attended South Africa's largest agricultural expo, Nampo, and spoke to Dr. Theo de Jager, president of the Southern African Agri Alliance. He said while farm murder is a major concern, it cannot be equated to genocide as Trump has done. "This is not a genocide. We know what a genocide is. We have seen it in Rwanda," he said. De Jager added that farm murder is a serious concern for the farming community, and they want Trump to push the South African government to act. "We want the government to acknowledge that we have a problem, and when they acknowledge that, we want them to set up a special task team to plan with us to prevent this," he said.
