A catastrophic malfunction destroys the ship in front of Kim Jong Un
North Korea witnessed a rare naval accident on Wednesday, as a new destroyed warship weighing 5,000 tons was severely damaged during a launching ceremony attended by leader Kim Jong Un. According to the official news agency, “KCNA”, a defect in the launch mechanism caused the slope of the ship’s late premature, which caused the crushing parts of its structure and the front remained stuck on the platform.
Kim: “criminal work” and “shame on the dignity of the nation”
In a statement, Kim considered the incident as a “criminal act” resulting from “complete neglect” and “no responsibility”, blameing the blame to several governmental institutions, including the Military Industry Administration and the Kim Chayk University of Technology. He vowed to hold all the officials be held accountable, stressing that the incident harmed the country’s naval status.
Experts: The damage is serious and may lead to the breaking of the structure
Military analysts from South Korea confirmed that the ship is tilted on its side, with the possibility of serious structural damage such as curves, cracks, or even a broken crossbar. They pointed out that the reforms may take months, if not impossible, especially since North Korea lacks a dry basin facility to maintain ships of this size.
Specific efforts under political pressure
Despite the severity of the damage, Kim ordered the reform of the ship before a party meeting scheduled in late June, considering that the restoration of the destroyer is a “national dignity” issue. But analysts see that the completion of reforms on this date is unrealistic, and it may lead to more technical errors if the work is rushed.
Marine aspirations collide with reality
The accident comes within the largest marine update program in North Korea for decades. The destructive “Choi Hyun” was revealed in April, which was described as a new generation. However, the recent release failure raises questions about the extent of the readiness of new marine technology, albeit, already, or just a symbolic review.
