Seoul, June 7: North Korea has successfully raised a newly built destroyer that capsized during a failed launch ceremony last month and moored it at a northeastern port, state media reported on Saturday, as the country pushes ahead with repairs ahead of a key ruling party congress later this month.
The 5,000-ton-class warship, described as one of North Korea’s most advanced naval assets, was brought upright at the port of Chongjin and is being prepared for further restoration at a dry dock in Rajin, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The restoration work is expected to last seven to 10 days.
Jo Chun Ryong, a senior official from the ruling Workers’ Party, said the “perfect restoration of the destroyer will be completed without fail” before the late-June meeting, in line with leader Kim Jong Un’s orders.
The destroyer, North Korea’s second known of its class, was intended to strengthen the country’s offensive naval capabilities. Its capsizing during a high-profile launch in May reportedly enraged Kim, who labeled the failure a “criminal act caused by absolute carelessness, irresponsibility, and unscientific empiricism.”
At least four officials, including the vice director of the Workers’ Party’s munitions industry department, have been detained over the incident. State media said those responsible would face consequences for what was called an “unpardonable criminal act.”
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed that the ship had been righted earlier this week and was undergoing drainage and structural inspection. “The nature and duration of the repair process will vary, depending on internal repairs, additional work, or whether the incident affected the keel,” said spokesperson Lee Sung Joon. “This could also affect how the ship is used going forward.”
The destroyer is in the same class as a vessel unveiled in April at the western port of Nampo, which analysts believe to be North Korea’s largest and most capable warship to date. State media claimed it was equipped to handle nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as modern anti-air and anti-ship systems.
Though North Korea’s naval forces are seen as vastly inferior to those of its regional rivals, analysts say even limited enhancements — particularly with advanced missile and radar systems — could significantly boost its deterrence capabilities.
Seoul and Washington have expressed concerns over growing military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow. Analysts suspect the destroyers may have been built with Russian technical assistance, as North Korea continues to supply arms and possibly troops to support Russia’s war effort in Ukraine.
Earlier this week, Kim met with Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu in Pyongyang, reinforcing what officials have described as deepening defense ties between the two countries.
Kim has also reiterated his ambition to acquire a nuclear-powered submarine, positioning naval expansion as central to his military agenda amid increasing tensions with the United States and South Korea.
