North Korea pulls capsized warship upright after botched launch, report says

SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korea appears to have returned to an upright position its stricken Choe Hyun Class destroyer that partially capsized during a botched launching ceremony, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.

Leader Kim Jong Un, who witnessed the failed launch of the 5,000-tonne warship, said the accident damaged the country's dignity and vowed to punish those found responsible.

Commercial satellite imagery from June 2 showed the destroyer upright for the first time since the May 21 accident, the 38 North programme, which studies the nuclear-armed North, said in a report.

Since the accident, North Korea has said it detained several officials, and Kim ordered the ship restored before a ruling party meeting this month.

"Commercial satellite imagery shows workers at the port in Chongjin have taken a significant step towards that goal," 38 North said in its report.

Workers were observed pulling tethers, and possibly using barrage balloons, in a manual effort to right the ship, it added. The imagery shows the vessel's bow still on land, with possible damage to its sonar section.

"To repair this, the ship will need to be moved out of the water to either a large floating drydock or graving dock once afloat," 38 North said. "However, Chongjin’s shipyard does not offer this infrastructure."

The east coast shipyard has turned out primarily cargo and fishing vessels and lacks significant expertise in launching large warships such as the new destroyer, other military experts have said.

(Reporting by Josh Smith; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)