North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered the arrest of those responsible for the failed launch of the country’s second naval destroyer, calling the incident an “unpardonable criminal act” and demanding accountability amid skepticism over the extent of damage to the warship.
North Korea has launched a full-scale investigation and issued arrest orders after the country’s second destroyer failed to launch properly earlier this week. Satellite imagery shows the 5,000-ton-class warship lying on its side, partially submerged at the northeastern port of Chongjin, covered in tarps.
State media initially downplayed the damage, claiming the vessel only sustained scratches to its starboard side and minor seawater inflow. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) now says repairs will take about 10 days. However, independent analysts and military experts are expressing deep skepticism about this timeline.
Lee Illwoo of the Korea Defense Network said the ship likely suffered significant damage, including possible flooding of the engine room and structural breaches that could require a full hull cut to replace critical components — repairs that could take over a year.
Why the Launch Failed
According to North Korean sources, the accident occurred during a ceremony when a transport cradle supporting the vessel’s stern detached prematurely. Analysts say the method used — a sideways launch typically reserved for cargo ships — may have been inappropriate for a heavily armed military vessel.
Moon Keun-sik, a naval expert at Seoul’s Hanyang University, noted that North Korean shipbuilders lack experience with destroyers of this size, which are considerably larger and more complex than the country's existing naval fleet.
Leadership Reaction
The failure comes just weeks after the successful launch of North Korea’s first destroyer, hailed by Kim as a milestone in the country’s military modernization. The damaged ship is of the same class, meant to project greater maritime power amid what Pyongyang sees as growing threats from the United States and its allies.
Publicly acknowledging the setback — a rare move in North Korea — Kim Jong Un expressed outrage and ordered that the vessel be repaired before a key Workers’ Party meeting in late June. The KCNA reported that shipyard manager Hong Kil Ho has already been summoned for questioning.
In a stern directive, the Central Military Commission stated:
“No matter how good the state of the warship is, the fact that the accident is an unpardonable criminal act remains unchanged.”
Kim Dong-yub, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said the move signals an effort by the regime to reassert control over its scientific and military-industrial sectors.
But some experts warn this heavy-handed approach could have long-term repercussions.
“If scientists are held severely accountable, I would say the future of North Korea’s defense science doesn’t look very bright,” said Lee Choon Geun, a fellow at South Korea’s Science and Technology Policy Institute.
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