Pyongyang investigates warship accident

North Korea has launched an investigation into an accident that occurred on Wednesday during the launching ceremony of a new warship, North Korean official media reported.

According to KCNA, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has described as a “criminal act” a “serious accident” that occurred during the launch of a 5,000-ton destroyer in the port city of Chongjin. According to US and South Korean intelligence services, the “attempt to launch the ship from the side” failed.

The destroyer is currently tilted in the water , the South Korean military said. Satellite images of the scene showed the ship lying on its side, with most of its hull submerged and covered by blue covers. KCNA said a detailed underwater and internal inspection of the warship “confirmed that, contrary to what was initially announced, there was no breach in the bottom of the ship.”

However, “the starboard hull was scratched and some seawater entered the stern section through the emergency exit,” the agency added, assuring that the damage suffered by the warship “was not serious.” “No matter how good the condition of the warship is, the fact that the accident is an unforgivable criminal act remains unchanged , and those responsible for it can never shirk their responsibility for the crime,” a military commission said, quoted by KCNA. Hong Kil-ho, the director of the shipyard where the accident occurred, was summoned by the commission on Thursday, the source added.

North Korean experts estimate it will take “two to three days to restore the balance of the warship pumping seawater from the flooded section,” the agency said. Repairing the destroyer’s hull is expected to take about 10 days, it added.

Kim Jong-un, who attended the launch ceremony, said it was a “criminal act caused by absolute negligence” that “could not be tolerated”. The name of the ship was not specified. In April, Pyongyang released images of a 5,000-ton destroyer called Choe Hyon.

North Korea claimed the ship was equipped with the “most powerful weapons” and would “enter service early next year.” Some experts say the Choe Hyon could be equipped with short-range tactical nuclear missiles, although North Korea has not yet demonstrated the capability to develop small-scale nuclear weapons. Public acknowledgement of technical or administrative failures is highly unusual for North Korea.

North Korea may have received assistance from Russia in building the destroyer, the Washington Post reports, citing South Korea's military. This contribution is believed to be part of the growing military cooperation between the two countries.