North Korea raises capsized warship damaged in botched launch

Seoul, South Korea: North Korea says it has recovered its brand-new warship that partially capsized in a launch accident witnessed by Kim Jong-un late last month.

Satellite images analysed by the Associated Press showed the stricken destroyer upright and floating in the north-eastern port of Chongjin. It wasn’t immediately clear how much damage it had sustained from the botched launch and from lying in the water for days afterwards.

Latest satellite images show the ship floating in the port of Chongjin.Credit: Planet Labs via AP

Experts will closely examine the vessel’s hull before beginning the next phase of restoration, which will take place at a dry dock at the neighbouring port of Rajin, North Korea’s official KCNA news agency said on Friday.

The state media update aligned with South Korean military assessments of the warship, which leader Kim Jong-un has described as a significant asset for his nuclear-armed military.

Jo Chun-ryong, a senior official from the ruling Workers’ Party, told the KCNA that the “perfect restoration of the destroyer will be completed without fail” before a major party congress in late June, a deadline set by Kim.

Outside experts say the condition of the 5000-tonne ship remains unclear following the failed launch, which triggered a furious response from Kim, who described it as a “criminal act caused by absolute carelessness”.

The vessel does not appear to be noticeably listing in the latest satellite images, meaning Pyongyang can likely send it onward to the other port to inspect its electronics.

North Korean law enforcement has detained at least four officials over the incident, including the vice director of the Workers’ Party’s munitions industry department, according to state media. The North’s main military committee said those responsible would be held accountable for their “unpardonable criminal act”.

Lee Sung-joon, spokesperson for South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters on Thursday that the South’s military assesses that the North Koreans righted the ship earlier this week and are likely now draining water from the hull while examining the damage.

“The nature and duration of the repair process will vary, depending on internal repairs, additional work or whether the incident affected the keel,” Lee said, referring to the ship’s structural backbone.

“This could also affect how the ship is used going forward.”

The damaged warship was North Korea’s second known destroyer and was seen as a crucial asset toward Kim’s goal of modernising his naval forces. It was in the same class as the country’s first destroyer unveiled in April, which experts assessed to be the North’s largest and most advanced warship to date.

Kim lavishly praised that ship, which was launched in the western port of Nampo, saying it advances his goal of expanding the military’s operational range and nuclear strike capabilities.

While North Korea’s naval forces are widely seen as far inferior to those of its rivals, analysts say a destroyer equipped with modern missiles and radar systems could still boost the North’s offensive and defensive capabilities.

South Korean officials and experts say the North’s destroyer was likely built with Russian assistance as the two countries’ military co-operation has intensified amid Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine. Kim’s government has supplied Russia with thousands of troops and large shipments of military equipment.

Top Putin aide Sergei Shoigu paid a visit to Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang this week. Credit: AP

Washington and Seoul have expressed concern that, in return, Kim may seek Russian technology transfers that could enhance the threat posed by his nuclear-armed military.

Kim met Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu in Pyongyang this week in the latest sign of the countries’ deepening ties.

The North Korean leader has framed his arms build-up as a response to perceived threats from the United States and South Korea, which have expanded joint military exercises in reaction to the North’s advancing nuclear program. Kim says the acquisition of a nuclear-powered submarine would be his next big step in strengthening the North Korean navy.

AP

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