North Korea’s attempt to launch its second navy destroyer in a month has failed, dealing a huge embarrassment for its leader, Kim Jong-un, who called it a criminal act and indicated he would punish those responsible.
A “serious accident” occurred on Wednesday when North Korea tried to launch a new 5,000-ton destroyer in Chongjin, a port city on its northeastern coast, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency said Thursday. While Mr. Kim was watching, the ship lost balance when its stern slid down the launch slipway while its bow section failed to leave the ramp, it said. The accident tore holes in the ship’s hull, it added.
North Korea did not release photos from the scene. It also did not report whether there were any casualties. South Korean military officials, who were monitoring the ship’s launch with the help of satellite images, said on Thursday that the ship was lying on its side in the water after the failed launch.
The botched launch was particularly painful for Mr. Kim, who has touted his country’s military buildup, including its growing nuclear arsenal, as his biggest achievement. Building more warships to replace its decrepit Soviet-era fleet has been a key part of his program.
Mr. Kim made a stern assessment of the accident, saying that it was a criminal act caused by carelessness, irresponsibility and “unscientific empiricism” that should never occur and could not be tolerated, the North Korean news agency said.
Mr. Kim censured the officials responsible for the accident which “lowered the dignity and self-respect” of his country, warning that their errors would be dealt with in a ruling Workers’ Party meeting next month, it said. He ordered that the destroyer should be restored by the June party meeting, calling the matter a “political issue directly related to the prestige of the state.”
North Korea has traditionally hidden any accidents that could damage the image of its leaders from the wider public. But under Mr. Kim, it has occasionally publicized its failures, admitting to satellite launch mishaps, a building collapse and widespread damage from floods and typhoons. Mr. Kim has used such incidents to excoriate officials and tighten his grip on power.
North Korea launched multiple cruise missiles from one of its eastern coastal provinces on Thursday as its state media reported the ship launch failure, South Korean defense officials said.
In April, Mr. Kim attended the successful launch of a 5,000-ton destroyer from Nampo, a port on the west coast of North Korea. It was the biggest navy ship North Korea has ever built. He later watched missiles fired from the ship. South Korean analysts said that it appeared to have been built with Russian technology.
North Korea has sent millions of artillery shells and other conventional weapons to Russia to aid its war against Ukraine. It has also sent around 15,000 troops to Russia and suffered 4,700 casualties, including 600 killed, according to South Korean intelligence officials. In return, it was receiving oil, military technology and other aid from Russia, they said.
The ship the North tried to launch off its east coast on Wednesday appeared to be a destroyer of the same class as the one launched in April, South Korean analysts said.
In a report published last week, 38 North, a U.S.-based website specializing in North Korean matters, said that it appeared the ship would be launched sideways from the quay, a method it said had not previously been seen from 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” to move the vessel stern into the water first it said. The website based its analysis on commercial satellite imagery of the shipyard.
South Korean officials said the North launched its first destroyer last month by filling water into a dry dock.
Choe Sang-Hun is the lead reporter for The Times in Seoul, covering South and North Korea.
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