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North Korean Destroyer Launch Ends in Major Accident, Kim Jong Un Orders Swift Repairs

The failed launch of a 5,000-ton Choe Hyon–class warship in Chongjin has been labeled a 'criminal act' by Kim, who demands restoration before June's Workers' Party meeting.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un with his daughter Ju Ae supervising the test firing in images released on April 30, 2025.
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This file photo, released by North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency, shows Pyongyang's new navy destroyer unveiled at a launching ceremony held at a shipyard in the North's western port city of Nampho on April 25, 2025. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
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Overview

  • A newly built 5,000-ton Choe Hyon–class destroyer suffered significant damage during its launch ceremony in Chongjin on May 21, attended by Kim Jong Un.
  • The accident was attributed to operational negligence, with the stern slide detaching prematurely and the flatcar failing to move in parallel, crushing parts of the ship's bottom.
  • Kim Jong Un condemned the incident as a 'criminal act' caused by carelessness and unscientific practices, emphasizing its intolerability.
  • Kim has mandated the ship's restoration be completed unconditionally before the June plenary meeting of the Workers' Party of Korea, linking the issue to state authority and credibility.
  • The Choe Hyon–class destroyers are part of North Korea's naval modernization efforts, designed to carry strategic cruise missiles and tactical ballistic missiles.