North Korea's Supreme Leader Kim Jon-un was left red-faced after his navy's effort to launch a destroyer failed, causing a major incident in the port city of Chongjin. The dictator has ordered an inquiry to identify those responsible for the "unacceptable" mishap, according to Western media reports.
According to reports, the ship is lying on its side with severe damage after it lost balance and slipped during a launch effort. Kim Jong-un was in the audience as North Korea tried to launch the 5000-ton ship in its northeastern waters. If successful, it would have been the second such launch in a month by Pyongyang.
🗣️There is a serious scandal in North Korea - a new "nuclear" destroyer collapsed right before Kim Jong-un's eyes
— mặt🌗trăng” (@MatTrang911) May 22, 2025
The ceremonial launch of the 5,000-ton ship failed miserably, Bloomberg writes. The vessel lost its balance and fell on its side right in front of the dictator.
We… pic.twitter.com/Q7P1A8VuyL
However, to the embarrassment of the leader and his generals, the giant ship lost balance as its stern slid down. The destroyer's bow section didn't detach from the ramp, causing a major accident that shook the locality, New York Times said in a report. The ship was left with multiple holes in its hull, leaving Kim furious.
No data was available on the range of destruction caused in the incident including loss of lives. The latest update on the ship's position was revealed by Seoul using satellite images, the NYT report added.
The Supreme Leader called the incident a "criminal act" which can't be tolerated. His immediate wrath is targeted at the ship's designers, BBC said, as their incompetence "severely damaged the dignity and pride of our nation in an instant." Strict punishments including rigorous imprisonment are very common in the country infamous for its terrible human rights record.
First confirmation of a serious incident during the launch of North Korea's newest destroyer.
— Clash Report (@clashreport) May 22, 2025
The ship fell on its side as a result of abnormal operation of the launching device. Judging by the photo, the vessel received serious damage. https://t.co/THzyJHbhyQ pic.twitter.com/iiOYCott8e
The "culprits" will be dealt with for their "absolute carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism" at a plenary meeting next month, Kim has ruled as per BBC. He also wants the ship to be restored before a major party meeting in June. The Kim dynasty's Workers' Party of Korea is the sole political party in the country that administers it with Kim as its General Secretary.
