Headlines
North Korea launches probe into accident during warship's launch
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on May 22, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
Global Banking & Finance Review®
Company
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on May 22, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
North Korea investigates a warship launch accident, with Kim Jong Un labeling it a 'criminal act'. The incident, causing public scrutiny, occurred at Chongjin shipyard.
SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korea has begun a full-scale investigation into the accident that occurred during the launch of a warship this week, state media KCNA reported on Friday.
Pyongyang has said the incident on Wednesday was caused by a loss of balance while the vessel was being launched, and sections of the bottom of the warship were crushed.
An internal inspection found that there were no holes at the warship's bottom, but the starboard hull was scratched and seawater flowed into the stern section through the rescue channel, the report said.
The extent of damage was "not serious," the report said, adding the investigation group was ordered to find the cause of the accident and those responsible for it. The report did not mention any injuries or deaths as a result of the accident.
The isolated state's leader Kim Jong Un, who watched Wednesday's launch of the 5,000-ton destroyer at the northeastern shipyard of Chongjin, berated it as a "criminal act" that could not be tolerated, according to state media.
The mishap likely occurred in front of a large crowd, increasing the public humiliation for Kim, military analysts said.
South Korea's military said on Thursday that the ship was lying on its side in the water.
It would take two to three days to restore the balance of the warship by pumping up seawater from the flooded chamber and around 10 days to restore the warship's side, the KCNA report said, citing experts' estimates.
Treating the accident as a serious matter was part of an effort to fight against "incautiousness" and "irresponsibility," according to KCNA.
Hong Kil Ho, the manager of the Chongjin shipyard, was summoned to the law-enforcement organ on Thursday as it began measures to detain and investigate those responsible for the accident, the report said.
(Reporting by Hyunsu Yim; Editing by Chris Reese and Jamie Freed)
North Korea stated that the accident was caused by a loss of balance while the vessel was being launched, resulting in sections of the bottom being crushed.
The internal inspection revealed that the damage was 'not serious', with scratches on the starboard hull and seawater entering the stern section through the rescue channel.
Kim Jong Un, who observed the launch, described the mishap as a 'criminal act' that could not be tolerated, indicating the seriousness of the situation.
An investigation group has been ordered to determine the cause of the accident and identify those responsible, with the manager of the shipyard being summoned for questioning.
It is estimated that it will take two to three days to restore the balance of the warship and around ten days to fix its side.
Explore more articles in the Headlines category
