North Korea cracks down after botched destroyer launch

North Korea has begun making arrests after a major mishap during the launch of its newest 5,000-ton warship — a destroyer seen as one of the regime’s most ambitious naval projects to date.

According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), three top officials at the Cheongjin shipyard in the country’s northeast have been detained. Among them: the shipyard’s chief engineer, the head of hull construction, and the deputy director of administrative affairs. All are being held responsible for what KCNA described as an “unforgivable act of criminal negligence.”

What went wrong during the launch?

Satellite imagery revealed the warship sustained damage along its starboard hull after water rushed into the rear section during the vessel’s launch ceremony. The leak, caused by a failure in the synchronized launch system, led to a partial sinking that left the ship’s bow stuck on dry land.

KCNA reported that a malfunction in the launch platforms caused the ship’s stern to detach prematurely, damaging the hull and disrupting the launch sequence. Officials now estimate that the vessel will be refloated within 10 days.

Kim Jong-un was watching — and he wasn’t happy

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was present at the ceremony and reportedly furious over the failure. He publicly denounced the incident as a “criminal act” and blamed it on “absolute negligence, irresponsibility, and unscientific empiricism.”

In an unusually candid moment for the regime, Kim promised sweeping consequences for those involved — including military officers, scientists, and shipyard personnel. He also issued a direct order to have the vessel repaired and operational before the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party convenes in June 2025.

Why this destroyer matters

This class of warship, named Choe Hyon Hulk, represents a dramatic shift in North Korea’s naval strategy. Previously, the country’s navy has focused on coastal defense. But according to Sidharth Kaushal, a senior researcher at the Royal United Services Institute in London, the new destroyer class signals Pyongyang’s intent to expand its maritime power.

“The Choe Hyon class represents North Korea’s most ambitious naval project to date,” Kaushal noted pointing to its construction at the major Nampo shipyard and its ongoing live-fire testing. “Its construction was a departure from practice for a navy historically focused on its littorals.”

The first ship in the class, known as Choe Hyon Hulk No. 51, remains stationed at Nampo, continuing tests despite the setback in Cheongjin.

A rare admission from Pyongyang

Public acknowledgment of internal failures is highly unusual in North Korea, especially involving military technology. The regime typically avoids disclosing anything that might suggest vulnerability or incompetence.

However, this time, officials have downplayed the incident as merely “external” damage and emphasized that the ship’s structural integrity remains intact. Still, the leadership is treating the matter with severity, signaling both embarrassment and the high stakes of its military ambitions.

In a statement, Pyongyang vowed to “cleanse” the project of those responsible, citing their “recklessness, irresponsibility, and pseudoscientific behavior” as the cause of the incident.

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