North Korea has confirmed that a “serious accident” occurred during the launch ceremony of a newly built warship on Wednesday, in the presence of leader Kim Jong-un. The incident took place at a shipyard in Chongjin, an eastern port city, and involved a 5,000-tonne destroyer recently unveiled as part of the North’s push to modernize its naval capabilities.
According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the mishap was attributed to “inexperience, command and operational carelessness.” The report detailed that the launch slide at the stern disengaged prematurely, becoming stranded, while the flatcar—integral to supporting the launch—failed to move in synchronization. As a result, portions of the warship’s hull were crushed, the ship’s balance was compromised, and the bow remained lodged on the shipway.
Leader Kim Jong-un, who personally observed the incident, strongly condemned the event, describing it as a “criminal act” rooted in “absolute carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism.” He ordered that the destroyer be fully restored before the upcoming plenary session of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), scheduled for late June, underscoring that the issue had significant political implications tied to state authority.
In a follow-up directive, Kim called for an investigation into the cause of the accident and emphasized that such failures were intolerable. The ruling party’s Political Bureau subsequently announced plans to convene the 12th plenary meeting of the Central Committee to review the first-half performance and outline policy directions for the latter half of the year.
Although the North did not release any imagery from the incident, the high-profile nature of the accident was highlighted by its front-page coverage in the Rodong Sinmun, the country’s main newspaper. Observers believe Kim’s harsh rhetoric may be intended to reinforce internal discipline and accountability.
South Korean military officials corroborated that the North attempted a side-launching technique, which appears to have failed. The Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson, Col. Lee Sung-jun, stated that the warship remains partially capsized at sea, based on joint surveillance by South Korean and U.S. intelligence assets.
The affected destroyer, named Choe Hyon, was introduced last month and is reportedly equipped with supersonic strategic cruise missiles, tactical ballistic missiles, and other advanced weapons systems. The launch failure marks a significant setback in North Korea’s ongoing efforts to enhance its maritime defense capabilities.
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