Kim Jong Un Observes as North Korea's Naval Ambitions Sink in Failed Launch

SEOUL, May 22 (Reuters) – A significant mishap unfolded on Wednesday during teh unveiling of a new North Korean warship, an event attended by Kim Jong Un. state media KCNA reported that Kim condemned the incident as a “criminal act” that was unacceptable.

Witnessing the botched launch of a 5,000-ton destroyer, Kim criticized the failure consequently of “carelessness,” which he claimed undermined national pride. He demanded that repairs be made before an upcoming ruling party meeting in June. The report did not clarify if there were any injuries.

The accident occurred during a side launch—a risky maneuver for such a large vessel—due to North Korea’s limited technical resources and financial constraints, according to military experts. This blunder likely took place in front of many spectators at Chongjin’s northeastern port, adding to Kim’s public embarrassment.

KCNA indicated that the ship lost balance during its launch and sustained damage to its hull but provided no further details about the extent of this damage. According to KCNA’s report, Kim expressed serious concern over what he termed “absolute carelessness” and emphasized that such incidents could not be overlooked.He stated that this failure had severely impacted “the dignity and self-respect” of North Korea and insisted on immediate restoration efforts as it was crucial for maintaining state authority.

South Korea’s military confirmed that the ship is now capsized in shallow waters. Coincidentally, multiple cruise missiles were launched from south of Chongjin around the same time as this incident was reported.

“DEEPLY EMBARRASSING”

This rare acknowledgment of an accident comes after another destroyer launch earlier in April at Nampho’s west coast shipyard—also attended by Kim—which went off without issue. Historically, North Korea has faced various failures like satellite launches or building collapses but often uses these events to showcase leadership intervention in resolving issues.

These newly launched 5,000-ton destroyers represent North Korea’s largest naval vessels yet and are part of Kim’s broader strategy to enhance naval capabilities wiht ships designed for missile deployment.

A recent analysis from U.S.-based 38 North suggested that launching from the quay via side-launching was chosen due to space limitations at their shipyard; this method is uncommon for warships in North Korea but deemed necessary given their lack of advanced facilities like floating or dry docks typically found elsewhere.

Retired South Korean submarine commander Choi Il noted that while side-launching can be straightforward if executed correctly, it remains one of the most basic methods available under current conditions.

Yang Wuk from Asan Institute for policy Studies remarked on how damaging this incident could be for national pride: “For something like this to happen publicly is incredibly humiliating.” Satellite images taken just before launch showed preparations underway with support vessels nearby and missile tubes visible—a stark contrast against expectations set by previous successful launches.