North Korea has launched a criminal investigation into a failed warship launch that state media called a "serious accident" threatening national dignity, with leader Kim Jong Un ordering the arrest of those responsible. The destroyer, said to be among the most advanced in North Korea's navy, was damaged during a May 21 launch ceremony at the Chongjin Shipyard, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Kim, who attended the ceremony, denounced the incident as a "criminal act" that "brought the dignity and self-respect of our state to a collapse," KCNA reported. North Korea's Central Military Commission echoed that sentiment, stating, "Those responsible for it can never evade their responsibility for the crime."
Satellite images analyzed by the U.S.-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) confirmed that the destroyer was "significantly damaged." The stern had slid off the launch cradle into the harbor while the bow remained stranded on the slipway, according to CSIS. Analysts noted that the Chongjin Shipyard, which historically produced smaller vessels, likely lacked the experience necessary to launch a warship of this scale.
KCNA initially reported that the flatcar under the ship's stern failed to align with the launch slide, blaming "inexperienced command and operational carelessness." Although North Korea later claimed the damage was "not serious," the vessel was seen lying on its side, partially submerged and covered in tarps. KCNA stated the starboard hull was scratched and the stern had taken on water, estimating repairs would take 10 days.
Experts outside North Korea rejected that timeline. "North Korea could simply set the ship upright, paint it over and claim the ship has been launched," said Lee Illwoo of the Korea Defense Network. "But that repairs could take more than a year as the replacement of an engine requires cutting the hull."
The vessel, believed to be a twin of North Korea's first destroyer launched last month, is a 5,000-ton-class warship equipped with heavy weapons. Its failure comes as Kim promotes naval modernization as a counter to U.S. and allied military presence in the region. The second ship was reportedly launched using a side-slip method-commonly used for large civilian ships but not for North Korea's military fleet.
Moon Keun-sik, a professor at Seoul's Hanyang University, said North Korean personnel likely lacked experience with such launch techniques. Lee Choon Geun of the Science and Technology Policy Institute warned that if the government prioritizes political punishment over technical accountability, "the future of North Korea's defense science doesn't look very bright."
Prosecutors and technical experts have begun interrogations. KCNA confirmed that Hong Kil Ho, the manager of the Chongjin shipyard, was summoned for questioning as part of the full-scale probe.
While North Korea has a history of concealing military failures, the unusually public acknowledgment of this mishap may reflect an attempt by Kim to assert control and reinforce discipline within the military-industrial complex. He has reportedly ordered that the warship be restored before a key Workers' Party meeting slated for late June.
