North Korea has taken drastic action following a failed warship launch, arresting four high-ranking officials deemed responsible for the accident. The incident, which occurred last Wednesday, left the country’s newest 5,000-ton destroyer partially submerged in a shipyard after a malfunction in the launch mechanism caused the stern to slide prematurely into the water.
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), those arrested include Ri Hyong Son, vice department director of the Munitions Industry Department of the Party Central Committee, who was described as “greatly responsible for the occurrence of the serious accident.” Three others detained are Kang Jong Chol, chief engineer of the Chongjin Shipyard; Han Kyong Hak, head of the hull construction workshop; and Kim Yong Hak, deputy manager for administrative affairs.
Leader Kim Jong Un, who witnessed the botched launch, called it “a criminal act” and vowed to punish those responsible. “The work for completely restoring the balance of the warship is being actively conducted,” KCNA reported, without providing a timeline for completion.
Assessing the Damage
Satellite images reveal the warship remains on its side, mostly covered in blue tarps, hindering experts’ ability to determine the full extent of the damage. Analyst Carl Schuster, a former US Navy captain, estimates repairs could take up to six months, exceeding Kim’s target completion date before the late June plenary session of the ruling Workers’ Party.
“If the hull damage extends across the ship’s port side covered by the tarp, then we are looking at four to six months of repair work,” Schuster said, highlighting potential complications depending on the amount of seawater that entered the warship. “If it gets into joints and things, then it becomes destructive.”
Schuster also noted that the Kim regime might prioritize optics over military value, saying, “If Kim Jong Un says, ‘I want that ship fitted out in six months,’ they’ll take shortcuts to make it happen. And usually when you do that, you wind up with a ship that’s not, shall we say optimal for operations? But it meets the propaganda criteria.”
Implications
South Korean lawmaker and defense analyst Yu Yong-weon warned that rushing the launch likely led to the problems and cautioned that hasty repairs could cause further issues down the line.