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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.
NHK
25-05-2025
- Politics
- NHK
N.Korea detains three officials over failed warship launch
North Korea reportedly detained three officials after one of the country's warships was damaged during its launch ceremony. The Sunday edition of the ruling Workers' Party newspaper Rodong Sinmun said the three, including the chief engineer of the shipyard, are responsible for the incident that occurred on Wednesday at a shipyard in the country's northeast. Satellite imagery shows the 5,000-ton destroyer, covered in blue tarps, lying on its side, partially submerged. The vessel apparently lost balance when its bow failed to detach from the shipway. The newspaper also reported that there is no additional damage to the warship and repair work is underway as scheduled. Leader Kim Jong Un has given instructions to restore the vessel before the plenary meeting of the party's Central Committee, which is scheduled to convene in late June.
Times
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Times
North Korea warship launch accident leaves Kim Jong-un furious
It should have been another moment of self-proclaimed glory for Kim Jong-un: the christening of a powerful new weapon designed to smite his South Korean and American enemies. Instead, the North Korean leader was reduced to fury after the botched launch of a new naval ship, which left it damaged and wallowing on its side, causing the 'collapse' of the country's 'dignity and self-respect'. The accident took place on Wednesday at the shipyard of Chongjin, a city on North Korea's east coast, close to the Russian border. With the relative openness that is characteristic of Kim, the accident has been reported prominently in the state media. The Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the Workers' Party of Korea, described in detail on its front page the
Korea Herald
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Kim Jong-un blasts ‘grave accident' after watching botched warship launch
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un publicly condemned the botched launch of a new naval destroyer — which he witnessed firsthand — as a 'grave and significant accident' amounting to a 'criminal act.' South Korea's military later confirmed that Pyongyang had failed to slide the warship into the water during its launch attempt on Thursday. North Korea — in a rare display of transparency — swiftly reported the failed launch of a new 5,000-ton-class destroyer at the Chongjin Shipyard in North Hamgyong Province on Wednesday through both internal and external-oriented state media on Thursday. Kim issued blistering criticism and a stern warning after witnessing the entire accident, according to the Korean-language report carried on the front page of the Rodong Sinmun, the country's most widely circulated newspaper. "Comrade Kim Jong-un delivered a grave assessment, saying that this was a grave and significant accident — utterly inconceivable and absolutely unacceptable — caused by sheer carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism, and that it constitutes a criminal act," the state media report read. State media notably delineated the causes of the failure involving the slipway method used to launch the destroyer, in which a ship is side-launched from the quay — a technique not previously seen in North Korea. In summary, the accident occurred due to "inexperienced command and careless handling during the launch process," which failed to keep the movement of the launch sleds — the structures that slide the warship into the water — properly balanced, according to the report. As a result, the sled under the stern detached first and ran aground, puncturing part of the ship's bottom and throwing the vessel off balance. The bow section of the warship was left stuck on the slipway, the report added. However, North Korean state media has not yet shared any photos or video of the failed warship launch as of 3 p.m. on Thursday. Kim also ordered that the restoration of the destroyer "must be unconditionally completed" before the plenary meeting of the Party Central Committee in late June, which state media concurrently announced on Thursday would be convened. "Comrade Kim Jong-un sternly warned and pressed accountability, stating that the irresponsible mistakes of the relevant units ... and the officials at the Chongjin Shipyard cannot but be dealt with at the plenary meeting of the Party Central Committee to be convened next month," according to the state media report. Col. Lee Sung-jun, spokesperson for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, confirmed that the destroyer is "tilted and resting on its side in the water." "South Korean and US intelligence authorities had been tracking and monitoring signs of a large warship launch at North Korea's Chongjin Port in advance, and we have assessed that the sideways launch failed," Lee said at Thursday's regular press briefing. Lee explained that the warship is believed to be equipped with capabilities similar to the 5,000-ton Choe Hyon-class destroyer, which was launched in late April, based on its size and scale. A senior official at the Unification Ministry, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Thursday that North Korea's disclosure of the debacle "seems aimed at tightening internal discipline through strict accountability for the negligence that caused it." "The process of launching a ship itself is not considered to involve particularly advanced or difficult technology. As stated in today's media report, it was described as a case of sheer carelessness," the official further explained. This is not the first time the Kim Jong-un regime has disclosed failures in military projects, including three failed attempts to launch military reconnaissance satellites in 2023 and 2024, as well as setbacks in economic projects. Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies, said North Korea's disclosure of the failed warship launch serves a dual purpose: sending a message both to its domestic audience and to the international community. "Internally, this may be intended to demonstrate transparency and to highlight a culture of accountability," Lim said. "It also aims to reinforce (Kim's) authority within the system and serves as a message signaling a hardline stance that no mistakes will be tolerated," Lim added, further explaining that the disclosure is intended to create a sense of urgency and heighten tension among relevant organizations and personnel. Lim pointed out that the Kim regime's divulgence "seems to demonstrate transparency in the process of developing military capabilities externally," in addition to its bid to project an image of uninterrupted military technological development. "At the same time, by disclosing the failure, the regime seeks to emphasize the need for internal reform or aims to showcase the resilience and competence of the system through a successful recovery later," Lim explained.
NHK
17-05-2025
- Politics
- NHK
North Korea's Kim oversees air drills against drone attacks
North Korea says its leader Kim Jong Un has overseen anti-air combat and air raid drills by an air force flight group, and underscored the need to bolster war readiness. Saturday's edition of the ruling Workers' Party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported that Kim inspected drills on Thursday, including to detect, track and destroy enemy cruise missiles and so-called suicide drones. The newspaper carried photos of a fighter jet firing a missile toward a target and a helicopter attacking a drone. Kim was quoted as calling on all units of the military to bring about a "radical turn" in war preparations. The newspaper said a new type of long-range precision-guided glide bomb was tested. It also reported that demonstrations took place of strategic reconnaissance drones and multi-purpose drones. South Korean media have expressed the view that the North aims to utilize the combat experience of soldiers dispatched to Russia in relation to its invasion of Ukraine.
