🚢 North Korea’s Warship Incident Sparks Outrage
On May 21, 2025, North Korea’s second 5,000-ton Choe Hyon-class destroyer was severely damaged during its launch at the Chongjin shipyard. The incident occurred during a sideways launch, a method reportedly unfamiliar to the shipyard, leading to the vessel capsizing. Satellite imagery indicates that the ship was lying on its side, partially submerged, with its stern submerged and bow stranded on a jetty .
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended the launch ceremony and expressed his fury over the mishap, labeling it a “criminal act.” He attributed the failure to “inexperienced command and operational carelessness” and vowed to arrest those responsible .
State media downplayed the extent of the damage, stating that only minor scratches and water ingress occurred, with repairs expected to take about 10 days. However, external analysts suggest that the damage is more severe, potentially requiring over a year to fix, especially if the engine room was compromised .
The Choe Hyon-class destroyer is a significant part of North Korea’s naval modernization efforts, featuring advanced missile systems and phased array radars. The failure of this launch is a major setback for Kim Jong Un’s ambitions to enhance North Korea’s maritime capabilities and project power beyond the Korean Peninsula .
North Korea’s Warship Launch Disaster: A Closer Look
Incident Background:
On May 21, 2025, North Korea attempted to launch its second 5,000-ton Choe Hyon-class destroyer at the Chongjin shipyard. The launch was meant to be a significant demonstration of naval strength and technological advancement as part of the country’s ongoing military modernization program.
What Went Wrong:
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The ship was launched sideways, a method involving sliding the vessel sideways into the water from a slipway.
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This sideways launch apparently went wrong due to lack of experience or technical mistakes at the shipyard, causing the destroyer to capsize during the launch.
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Satellite imagery showed the vessel lying on its side, stern partially submerged in water, and the bow resting on the jetty — signaling serious damage to the hull and machinery.
Kim Jong Un’s Reaction:
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Kim Jong Un personally witnessed the launch and was reportedly furious at the failure, branding it a “criminal act.”
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He accused specific individuals of negligence and vowed a crackdown, ordering arrests and investigations into those responsible for what he called a humiliating blunder.
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This public display of outrage reflects both the importance of the project to North Korea’s leadership and the high stakes involved in its military development.
Damage Assessment:
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State media tried to minimize the severity, claiming only superficial damage and predicting a quick repair turnaround (about 10 days).
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Independent analysts and satellite observers suspect much heavier damage, possibly affecting the engine room and critical systems, which could delay the destroyer’s deployment by a year or more.
Strategic Significance:
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The Choe Hyon-class destroyer is a key asset for North Korea’s naval ambitions, designed to carry advanced missile systems and equipped with modern phased array radars for improved tracking and targeting.
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Failure of the launch is seen as a major setback for North Korea’s goals to expand its naval power and project influence, especially given increasing tensions in the region.
Regional Impact:
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The incident adds to growing concerns among neighboring countries and military analysts about the reliability of North Korea’s expanding military capabilities.
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It also fuels speculation on how internal pressures might affect Kim Jong Un’s leadership and future military projects.
