North Korea’s second naval destroyer damaged in failed launch at ceremony attended by Kim

North Korea’s second naval destroyer was damaged in its failed launch to the water this week, state media reported Thursday, in an embarrassment for leader Kim Jong Un as he pushes to modernize his naval forces.

It’s not common for North Korea to acknowledge military-related setbacks, but observers say the disclosure of the failed ship launch suggests that Kim is serious about his naval advancement programme and confident of ultimately achieving its objectives.

During a launching event at the northeastern port of Chongjin on Wednesday, the newly built 5,000-ton-class destroyer became unbalanced and was punctured in its bottom sections after a transport cradle on the stern section slid off first and became stuck, according to the Korean Central News Agency.

KCNA didn’t provide details on what caused the problem, the severity of the damage or whether anyone was injured.

According to KCNA, Kim, who was present at the ceremony, blamed military officials, scientists and shipyard operators for a “serious accident and criminal act caused by absolute carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism.” Kim called for a ruling Workers’ Party meeting slated for late June to address their “irresponsible errors.” “It’s a shameful thing. But the reason why North Korea disclosed the incident is it wants to show it’s speeding up the modernisation of its navy forces and expresses its confidence that it can eventually build a greater navy”, said Moon Keun-sik, a navy expert who teaches at Seoul’s Hanyang University.

Moon suspected the incident likely happened because North Korean workers aren’t yet familiar with such a large warship and were rushed to put it in the water.

The damaged vessel was likely in the same class as the country’s first destroyer, unveiled Apr 25, which experts assessed as the North’s largest and most advanced warship to date. Kim called the first vessel, named Choe Hyon — a famed Korean guerilla fighter during the Japanese colonial period — a significant asset for advancing his goal of expanding the military’s operational range and nuclear strike capabilities.

State media described that ship as designed to handle various weapons systems, including anti-air and anti-ship weapons as well as nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles. Kim said the ship was expected to enter active duty early next year and later supervised test-firings of missiles from the warship.

Lee Sung Joon, spokesperson for South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Thursday the damaged vessel was likely equipped with similar systems and remains toppled over in the sea.

The North Korean report came after recent commercial satellite images indicated that the country was building its second destroyer at a shipyard in Chongjin.

Beyond Parallel, a website run by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies think tank, said the satellite imagery of Chongjin’s Hambuk shipyard on May 12 showed that a second vessel in the Choe Hyon-class of guided missile destroyers was under construction.

A report by the North Korea-focused 38 North website assessed last week that the destroyer built at the Chongjin shipyard was being prepared to be launched sideways from the quay, a method that has been rarely used in North Korea. The report said the previous destroyer launched at the western shipyard of Nampo, in contrast, used a floating dry dock.

South Korean officials and experts say the Choe Hyon destroyer was likely built with Russian assistance as the two countries’ military partnerships are booming. While North Korea’s naval forces are considered inferior to South Korea’s, analysts still view the destroyer as a serious security threat, as it could enhance the country’s offensive and defensive capabilities.

Kim has framed the arms buildup as a response to perceived threats from the United States and its allies in Asia, who have been expanding joint military exercises amid rising tensions over the North’s nuclear programme. He says the acquisition of a nuclear-powered submarine would be his next big step in strengthening his navy.

Hours after releasing the report on the damaged destroyer, North Korea fired multiple cruise missiles from an area near the northeastern town of Sondok, according to South Korea’s military. The launches were a continuation of a streak of weapons-testing activities by North Korea in recent years. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff didn’t immediately say how far the missiles flew, noting the launches were being analyzed by South Korean and US intelligence authorities.