North Korea has detained four senior officials following the failed launch of a 5,000-tonne naval destroyer last week — a rare public admission of military failure by the regime. State media reported that leader Kim Jong-un, who personally attended the launch ceremony in the northeastern port city of Chongjin, condemned the incident as a “criminal act caused by absolute carelessness.”
The vessel, intended to be the country’s second destroyer, reportedly lost balance and capsized during the launch. Satellite images later revealed the ship toppled and partially submerged, concealed beneath blue tarps — a stark contrast to the triumphant tone that usually accompanies Pyongyang’s military unveilings.
Kim was said to be furious, blaming the failure on what he described as “criminal negligence, irresponsibility, and unscientific empiricism” on the part of military commanders, shipyard managers, and scientists involved in the project.
In response, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) announced the detention of Ri Hyong-son, vice director of the ruling Workers’ Party’s munitions industry department, who was reportedly deemed “largely responsible” for the botched launch. Three additional individuals — the vessel’s chief engineer, the head of the hull construction unit, and a deputy manager for administrative affairs — were also taken into custody. The shipyard manager has been summoned for further investigation.
The incident comes on the heels of the successful debut of North Korea’s first destroyer just weeks earlier, which Kim praised as a major milestone in the country’s efforts to modernise its navy.
Analysts say Pyongyang’s unusually transparent handling of the failure underscores Kim’s urgency in advancing naval capabilities amid growing regional tensions.
via Euronews