Three individuals have been detained in North Korea following an incident during the launch of a new warship this past week, according to state media reports.
Pyongyang stated that “a serious accident occurred” at the launch ceremony in the eastern port city of Chongjin for a newly constructed 5,000-ton naval destroyer, where sections of the vessel’s bottom were damaged.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un labeled the incident a “criminal act caused by absolute carelessness”.
Those apprehended include Kang Jong Chol, the chief engineer at the Chongjin shipyard; Han Kyong Hak, the head of the hull construction workshop; and Kim Yong Hak, the deputy manager for administrative affairs, as reported by the Korean Central News Agency.
On Friday, KCNA noted that shipyard manager Hong Kil Ho was summoned for questioning by law enforcement.
The military of South Korea indicated that US and Seoul intelligence agencies assessed that North Korea’s “side-launch attempt” of the vessel was unsuccessful, leaving the ship listing in the water.
In contrast, KCNA reported that an “underwater and internal inspection of the warship confirmed that, contrary to the initial announcement, there were no breaches at the warship’s bottom,” describing the damage as “not serious”.
Given its size and scale, the South Korean military believes the newly built warship is expected to be similarly equipped to the 5,000-ton destroyer-class vessel Choe Hyon, which was revealed by North Korea last month.
Pyongyang has claimed that the Choe Hyon is armed with the “most powerful weapons” and is set to “enter into operation early next year”.
Seoul’s military has suggested that the Choe Hyon may have been developed with assistance from Russia — potentially in return for Pyongyang providing thousands of troops to support Moscow in its conflict with Ukraine.
Analysts suggest that the warship involved in Wednesday’s incident might also have been built with Russian support.
