North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un was humiliated this week when a new destroyer failed to launch and capsized in front him.
Kim Jong Un, file screen image.
Before and after satellite images were released by Maxar Technologies, with the destroyer seen on its side in the water, covered in blue tarps.
Images via Financial Times reporter Christopher Miller, “New @Maxar satellite imagery today of the North Korean port of Chongjin and the new destroyer that was damaged during the launching ceremony at the Hambuk Shipyard. It’s seen lying on its side near the dock and is covered with blue tarps attempting to conceal the ship. Left, May 18, prior to launch. Right, May 23, after.”
New @Maxar satellite imagery today of the North Korean port of Chongjin and the new destroyer that was damaged during the launching ceremony at the Hambuk Shipyard. It’s seen lying on its side near the dock and is covered with blue tarps attempting to conceal the ship.
Left,… pic.twitter.com/0Na6Z19D6j— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) May 23, 2025
Another view via Planet posted by Open Source Centre London, “Dr Sidharth Kaushal, Senior Research Fellow at @RUSI_org, stated: The Choe Hyon class represents North Korea’s most ambitious naval project to date and its construction was a departure from practice for a navy historically focused on its littorals…New imagery collected today by @planet shows that North Korea has continued to cover the stricken destroyer with blue tarpaulin, potentially in an attempt to disguise damage to the vessel. Analysis by @stoa1984 indicates the vessel may have suffered significant structural damage.”
New imagery collected today by @planet shows that North Korea has continued to cover the stricken destroyer with blue tarpaulin, potentially in an attempt to disguise damage to the vessel. Analysis by @stoa1984 indicates the vessel may have suffered significant structural damage. pic.twitter.com/JwMxHO23J6
— Open Source Centre (@osc_london) May 23, 2025
Radio Free Asia reported North Korea did not try to conceal the failure (most likely as the world was watching from above). The report also mentioned a successful launch of a similar destroyer last month, reportedly North Korea’s first (and now only) destroyer:
…State-run Korean Central Television, or KCTV, reported Thursday that the vessel lost stability during its launch at the shipyard in the northeastern port city of Chongjin, tipping into the water as the stern-side launch sled detached prematurely.
The ship had taken on water and suffered hull damage due to poor handling and “incompetent command,” the report said.
Kim Jong Un, who was at the launch, condemned Wednesday’s mishap in unusually strong language. He called it a “grave and unacceptable accident” caused by “carelessness, irresponsibility, and unscientific empiricism,” and described it as a “serious criminal act,” the state-run news agency reported.
He ordered the destroyer to be fully restored before the June plenary session of the ruling Workers’ Party, stressing that the matter is not merely technical but one of political urgency and national dignity.
…South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed that U.S. and South Korean intelligence had been monitoring the launch preparations. They assessed the side-launch as a failure and noted the destroyer remains tipped over in the water.
“The destroyer is currently lying on its side,” said spokesperson Lee Sung-jun. He added that the ship’s design appears similar to the Choe Hyon Ho, a destroyer which was launched last month using a flotation method at the Nampo Shipyard. Wednesday’s launch was by a less common sideways or lateral method.
The two destroyers are North Korea’s most advanced naval vessels.
The first destroyer is designed to carry weapons systems including nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles, state media reported last month. It was slated to enter active duty early next year and Kim Jong Un has supervised test-firings of missiles from the warship.
The AP reported Kim is looking to arrest those responsible and that North Korea claims the damage to ship is not as bad as originally reported (excerpt):
North Korea is seeking to arrest those responsible for the failed launch of its second naval destroyer, as it denied the warship suffered major damage — a claim quickly met with outside skepticism.
A statement from North Korea on its handling of the botched launch came after leader Kim Jong Un expressed fury over the incident that he said was caused by criminal negligence. The main military committee said Friday that those responsible would be held accountable for their “unpardonable criminal act.”
…North Korea’s state media said Friday the severity of the damage to the 5,000-ton-class destroyer was “not serious” as it canceled an earlier assessment that the bottom of the hull had been left with holes.
It said the hull on the starboard side was scratched and some seawater had flowed into the stern section. It said it needs a total of 10 days to pump out the seawater, set the ship upright and fix the scratches.