Latest news with #RiHyongSon
News.com.au
4 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
Mysterious sight appears over stricken North Korea warship
North Korea has deployed a series of mysterious objects alongside its stricken warship that ran into trouble during its launch last week, according to reports. Satellite images show the objects – believed to be balloons – floating alongside the 5000-tonne ship, which has been left laying on its side and partially submerged since the incident. While their exact purpose is unknown, experts told CNN the objects may be used to manoeuvre the ship back upright. Another possible goal of using the objects was to protect the vessel from drones. It comes as another official was detained over the botched launch, which left North Korean leader Kim Jong-un furious. Jong Un slammed the mishap, which left some sections of the bottom of the newly built destroyer crushed, and called it a 'criminal act caused by absolute carelessness'. He warned that it 'could not be tolerated' and that the 'irresponsible errors' of the officials responsible would be dealt with at a Workers' Party meeting next month. Ri Hyong Son, vice department director of the Munitions Industry Department of the Party Central Committee, was summoned and detained on Sunday, the Korean Central News Agency reported. He was 'greatly responsible for the occurrence of the serious accident', it said. Ri is the fourth person reportedly detained in connection with the accident, following the detention of three individuals over the weekend. That includes the chief engineer at the shipyard. Hong Kil Ho, the manager of the shipyard in the eastern port city of Chongjin where the accident took place, was summoned by law enforcement on Thursday. South Korea's military said US and Seoul intelligence authorities assessed that North Korea's 'side-launch attempt' of the ship failed. 'The side-launch method used in this case is no longer employed by South Korea's military,' Lee Sung-jun, spokesman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters. Satellite images, released by Maxar Technologies, showed the ship lying sideways, with the stern in water and the bow on land. KCNA, however, reported that an 'underwater and internal inspection of the warship confirmed that, unlike the initial announcement, there were no holes made at the warship's bottom', calling the extent of the damage 'not serious'.
Axios
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
North Korea detains 4 officials over failed warship launch
Officials in North Korea detained four officials over the failed launch of a new warship last week in the northeastern port city of Chongjin, per state media. The big picture: The incident last Thursday that analysts said left the 5,000-ton destroyer badly damaged drew a rare public rebuke from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who described the mishap as a "criminal act." Details: Officials detained Ri Hyong Son, vice department director of the Munitions Industry Department of the Party Central Committee, reported the state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper on Monday, which said he "was greatly responsible for the occurrence of the serious accident." Rodong Sinmun reported earlier the detention of three others: Kang Jong Chol, chief engineer of the Chongjin Shipyard; Han Kyong Hak, head of the hull construction workshop; and Kim Yong Hak, deputy manager for administrative affairs.
Saba Yemen
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
N Korea Arrests Fourth Official Over Failed Warship Launch
Pyongyang - (Saba): North Korea has arrested a fourth official over an accident that led to the failure of the launch of a new warship last week, damaging the 5,000-ton destroyer. Pyongyang announced a "serious accident" on Wednesday during the launch of a newly built 5,000-ton destroyer in the eastern coastal city of Chongjin, resulting in parts of the ship's bottom being crushed. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un described the incident as a "criminal act of utter negligence." North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency reported Monday that Ri Hyong Son, deputy director of the Central Committee's munitions industry department, was summoned and detained on Sunday. It added that he "was highly responsible for the serious accident." Ri is the fourth person to be arrested in connection with the incident, after three people were detained over the weekend, including the shipyard's chief engineer. North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) earlier reported that those arrested were Kang Jong Chol, chief engineer at the Chongjin Shipyard; Han Kyong Hak, head of the hull construction workshop; and Kim Yong Hak, deputy director of administrative affairs. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print more of (International)
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
North Korea arrests 4th official over failed warship launch
North Korea arrests 4th official over failed warship launch (AP) North Korea has arrested a fourth official following last week's failed launch of a new navy warship, North Korean state media reported on Monday. The accident on Wednesday crushed parts of the bottom of the new 5,000-ton destroyer. The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Monday that a fourth person, Ri Hyong Son, the vice department director of the Munitions Industry Department of the Party Central Committee, had been detained. According to KCNA, he was "greatly responsible for the occurrence of the serious accident." He is the most senior official to be detained in connection with the incident. His detention came after three shipyard officials — the chief engineer, the head of the hull construction workshop and deputy manager for administrative affairs — were detained on Sunday, according to KCNA. Satellite images showed Pyongyang's second known naval destroyer lying on its side in the water at the northeastern port of Chongjin covered in a blue tarp. KCNA said Monday that "work for completely restoring the balance of the warship is being actively conducted." Kim condemns criminal 'carelessness' Pyongyang has said no "serious" damage was caused. On Friday, North Korea said it would take 10 days for repairs to be completed, but observers in South Korea say it could take a lot longer. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Did You Know Luxury Hotel Prices in 2025 Could Be So Low? Expertinspector Learn More Undo The incident has been viewed as an embarrassing setback for North Korea and its leader Kim Jong Un, who wants to strengthen the isolated regime's naval forces to counter US influence in the region. Kim was present for the launching ceremony on Wednesday. He has called the incident a "criminal act caused by absolute carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism." North Korea's first destroyer was launched last month. State media reports said it is capable of carrying a variety of weapons, including nuclear missiles.
RNZ News
26-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
North Korea arrests four over failed warship launch as images show vessel shielded from prying eyes
By Brad Lendon and Mike Valerio , CNN This handout satellite image courtesy of Maxar Technologies taken on May 23, 2025, shows the North Korean warship in the harbour after its launch accident in Chongjin. Photo: HANDOUT North Korea has arrested four people it claims bear responsibility for a launch accident last week that left leader Kim Jong Un's newest warship lying on its side and partially submerged in a shipyard, state-run media has reported. The four people detained included Ri Hyong Son, vice department director of the Munitions Industry Department of the Party Central Committee, "who was greatly responsible for the occurrence of the serious accident," a report from the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Monday said. On Sunday, KCNA said three others had been detained: Kang Jong Chol, chief engineer of the Chongjin Shipyard where the accident occurred, Han Kyong Hak, head of the hull construction workshop, and Kim Yong Hak, deputy manager for administrative affairs. Kim last week called the botched launch, which he witnessed, "a criminal act" and vowed to punish those responsible. Last Wednesday's accident resulted from a malfunction in the launch mechanism that caused the stern of the as-yet unnamed 5000-ton destroyer to slide prematurely into the water, crushing parts of the hull and leaving the bow stranded on the shipway, KCNA reported on Thursday in a rare admission of fault from an otherwise highly secretive state. A major accident occurred at the launch ceremony for a new North Korean naval destroyer, state media reported on May 22, with leader Kim Jong Un calling the mishap a "criminal act". Photo: AFP / Anthony Wallace State media reported on Friday that the damage to the warship was less than North Korea's initial estimate, saying there were no holes in the hull, although it was scratched along the starboard side. It also said "a certain amount of seawater flowed into the stern section." Repairs could take about 10 days, the report said. Though analysts are skeptical. Kim had ordered the destroyer to be restored before the late June plenary session of the ruling Workers' Party, calling the matter one of national honour. Satellite imagery shows most of the warship covered in blue tarps at the launch site, making it difficult for experts to determine the full extent of the damage it suffered. But analyst Carl Schuster, a former US Navy captain, said repair work could take up to six months, well beyond Kim's June target. "If the hull damage extends across the ship's port side covered by the tarp, then we are looking at four to six months of repair work," he said. Repairs could be complicated depending on the amount of sea water that entered the warship, according to Schuster. The interior of the ship would need to be thoroughly flushed with fresh water and then dried to prevent "salt crust" from forming on metal surfaces, he said. "If it gets into joints and things, then it becomes destructive," Schuster said. But the flushing work cannot begin until the ship is righted and any holes in the hull are patched, he said. KCNA reported Monday that "the work for completely restoring the balance of the warship is being actively conducted," but it did not give a timeline. Satellite images from Maxar Technologies taken Sunday and supplied to CNN showed the ship still on its side, still mostly covered in blue tarps as smaller boats swarmed around it. South Korean lawmaker and defense analyst Yu Yong-weon said last week that rushing the launch of the ship likely led to the problems encountered on Wednesday and warned hasty repairs could cause more problems down the line. Schuster echoed that thinking, saying optics may be more important than military value to the Kim regime. "If Kim Jong Un says, 'I want that ship fitted out in six months,' they'll take shortcuts to make it happen. And usually when you do that you wind up with a ship that's not, shall we say optimal for operations? But it meets the propaganda criteria." - CNN
