North Korea launches full-scale probe into new destroyer's capsizing during launch
Published: 23 May. 2025, 15:36
![The satellite image shows a destroyer at the Chongjin Shipyard on May 15, following construction and in preparation for launch. [MINISTRY OF UNIFICATION]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/05/23/c14f99cb-e556-4b22-8d43-9885b095bb49.jpg)
The satellite image shows a destroyer at the Chongjin Shipyard on May 15, following construction and in preparation for launch. [MINISTRY OF UNIFICATION]
North Korea has launched a full-scale investigation into the capsizing of a new 5,000-ton destroyer at the Chongjin Shipyard in North Hamgyong Province. Analysts say the regime aims to use the incident as a tool to reinforce internal discipline and a political-organizational means to strengthen regime control by punishing those deemed responsible.
The state-run Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Friday that “an investigation group of the destroyer launch accident got down to a full-scale investigation into the serious accident occurred at the Chongjin Shipyard.” The group included officials of a “public prosecutors organ and relevant experts.”
“Detailed underwater and internal inspection of the warship confirmed that, unlike the initial announcement, there were no holes made at the warship's bottom, the hull starboard was scratched and a certain amount of seawater flowed into the stern section through the rescue channel,” according to the outlet. “Experts estimated that it will take two or three days to keep the balance of the warship by pumping up the seawater from the flooded chamber and making the bow leave the slipway and 10-odd days to restore the warship's side.”
This appears to be an attempt to emphasize that the damage was less severe than initially believed and that the vessel can be repaired.
Nevertheless, after receiving the report, the Central Military Commission of the Workers’ Party ordered on May 22 that the cause of the accident and those responsible must be identified, separate from the recovery of the vessel. The commission instructed that “the cause of this utterly intolerable accident and the individuals responsible must be thoroughly investigated and identified.” Based on the investigative group’s findings, legal authorities have begun procedures to detain and question those at fault, starting with Hong Gil-ho, the manager of the Chongjin Shipyard, who has been summoned.
![The launch ceremony for the new 5,000-ton-class multipurpose destroyer Choe Hyon was held at the Nampho Shipyard on April 25, with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in attendance. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/05/23/5f359127-284e-4026-868d-de796c624205.jpg)
The launch ceremony for the new 5,000-ton-class multipurpose destroyer Choe Hyon was held at the Nampho Shipyard on April 25, with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in attendance. [YONHAP]
The group reported the investigation details to the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea on Thursday.
“The extent of damage to the warship is not serious and the result of the flooding process immediately after the accident is only information necessary to take practical rehabilitation measures,” said the commission, saying that “the abovesaid data have no connection with the cause of the accident and the identification of its responsibility.”
“It is necessary to make clear the cause of the accident.”
The commission “instructed the investigation group to investigate and expose the cause of the accident, which should never occur and could not be tolerated, and those responsible for it.”
![Kim Jong-un, in leather jacket, visits a flight group under the Guards 1st Air Division of the Korean People's Army on May 15, [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/05/23/ca1222fd-6346-4609-94ef-15005ff85b55.jpg)
Kim Jong-un, in leather jacket, visits a flight group under the Guards 1st Air Division of the Korean People's Army on May 15, [YONHAP]
“No matter how good the state of the warship is, the fact that the accident is an unpardonable criminal act remains unchanged, and those responsible for it can never evade their responsibility for the crime,” said the commission.
The commission said it regards this accident as a “serious matter not because of the damage to the warship or economic loss” but to “deal a telling blow to incautiousness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricist attitude prevailing in any field and to sound an alarm bell.”
This reiterates the regime’s intention to use the punishment of those responsible to reassert discipline and ultimately strengthen system control.
Some analysts view North Korea’s swift public disclosure of the incident and emphasis on recovery prospects as a strategy to minimize reputational damage from the technical failure.
![Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un exchange documents during a signing ceremony of the new partnership in Pyongyang, North Korea, on June 19, 2024. Kim and Putin signed a major defense deal that observers worry could embolden Kim to direct more provocations at South Korea. [AP/YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/05/23/0f0b3b90-8410-49dc-a50e-6f5dc5ea7fc5.jpg)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un exchange documents during a signing ceremony of the new partnership in Pyongyang, North Korea, on June 19, 2024. Kim and Putin signed a major defense deal that observers worry could embolden Kim to direct more provocations at South Korea. [AP/YONHAP]
Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University’s Institute for Far Eastern Studies, noted that “the speed of accident recovery and the ability to manage quality are key factors in the credibility of military technology cooperation.” He added, "By disclosing the incident transparently and presenting a detailed recovery timeline, North Korea seems to be showcasing its technical resilience to Russia.”
Previously, the Rodong Sinmun reported on Wednesday that a “serious accident” occurred during the launch of the newly built 5,000-ton destroyer at the Chongjin Shipyard, which was observed by Kim Jong-un. During the sideways launch, the vessel lost balance and capsized, causing the stern to break away.
Kim described the event as “a serious accident and criminal act caused by absolute carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism which is out of the bounds of possibility and could not be tolerated” and ordered that the vessel must be “completed unconditionally” by the upcoming 12th plenary session of the 8th Central Committee of the Party in June.
North Korea is expected to continue its crackdown on officials involved in the incident as part of its internal discipline efforts.
In fact, on July 11 and 12 last year, Kim visited the Samjiyon development site near Mount Paektu and harshly criticized officials for negligence of duty, ordering disciplinary actions and personnel changes.
Later that month, he dismissed then-Social Security Minister Ri Thae-sop, the equivalent of South Korea’s police chief, and Kang Bong-hun, chief secretary of the Jagang Party Committee, for their failure to adequately prepare for flooding in the Yalu River area.
Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY CHUNG YEONG-GYO, LEE YU-JUNG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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