North Korea Restores Capsized Destroyer in Bid to Save Face After Naval Blunder

According to a recent report from 38 North, North Korea seems to be making strides in recovering its warship that capsized during a launch event last month. Satellite images reveal that the Choe Hyun-class destroyer,weighing 5,000 tons,has been repositioned upright at the Chongjin Shipyard. However,questions linger about the extent of the damage and weather repairs can be completed by Kim Jong Un’s imposed deadline.

The mishap occurred on May 21 during a public side-launch for the second frigate in this class. Kim jong Un was present when the ship partially overturned; its stern submerged while its bow remained grounded. experts suspect a malfunction in the launch mechanism led to this incident.

On June 2, commercial satellite imagery confirmed that for the first time since the accident, the ship is now upright again. The flight deck and helipad markings are visible at its stern despite some cloud cover obscuring parts of it.

The recovery process appears to have been quite hands-on. Earlier images from May 29 depicted workers using tethers likely attached to lift it back into position. Observers noted around 30 buoys or airbags along one side of the vessel—initially mistaken for barrage balloons—were probably employed for stabilization and lifting purposes.

Despite these efforts, it’s important to note that part of the ship’s bow remains on land and may have sustained damage—notably in areas like sonar equipment where signs of distress were observed as early as May 29. If extensive repairs are necessary, moving it out of water could pose challenges due to Chongjin Shipyard’s lack of proper infrastructure like floating dry docks.

Historically focused on building cargo ships and fishing vessels rather than large military crafts like those in Choe Hyun class, analysts suggest this might have played a role in their recent troubles.This rapid recovery is noteworthy; even with clouds obscuring some details, it’s impressive they managed it manually!

Moving forward with repairs could prove tricky if significant hull damage exists; external assistance from nations such as Russia or China might be sought if domestic capabilities fall short.Following this incident, North korean state media KCNA reported on May 23 downplaying concerns about serious damage.They claimed inspections revealed only minor scratches on one side and minimal seawater intrusion through rescue channels—noting no holes were found below deck—and insisted these issues were manageable within their recovery timeline estimates.

Kim Jong un labeled this accident as detrimental to national pride and demanded accountability among those involved; reports indicate at least four officials from the shipyard have faced detention so far.

With an upcoming meeting scheduled for members of his ruling Workers’ Party Central Committee later this month,Kim has mandated full restoration before then—a timeline many experts deem overly ambitious given current conditions where one end remains precariously positioned between land and water.