North Korea has launched an investigation into a mishap that occurred during the launch of its second navy destroyer earlier this week, according to reports citing a state official on Friday.
The probe follows strong criticism from the country’s supreme leader Kim Jong Un, who described the incident as an act of “criminal negligence”.
On Thursday, during the commissioning of a newly built 5,000-tonne naval destroyer at the north-eastern port of Chongji, the vessel’s hull sustained damage when parts of its bottom were crushed. Reports indicated the incident stemmed from a failure involving a transport vessel, whose stern reportedly detached prematurely during the ceremony.
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North Korean media outlets reported that the Central Military Commission has summoned Hong Kil Ho, the manager of the Chongji shipyard, as formal investigations commence into the accident.
“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 an official with close ties to the regime.
Kim Jong Un, who was present at the launch, is said to have expressed fury at his military officials, scientists, and shipyard operators. He reportedly described the failure as a “criminal act caused by absolute carelessness”.
While Pyongyang had initially termed the incident “serious”, reports on Friday clarified that subsequent underwater and internal inspections found no major structural breaches.
“Unlike the initial announcement, there were no holes made at the warship’s bottom,” officials said. “The hull starboard was scratched, and a certain amount of seawater flowed into the stern section through the rescue channel,” the reports confirmed.
South Korea’s military, assessing the ship’s size and design, believes the vessel is comparable to the Choe Hyon – a destroyer-class warship that the North unveiled last month.
Experts believe the damaged vessel could be North Korea’s most advanced warship to date.
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