Pyongyang opens investigation into warship launch accident

North Korea has begun a thorough investigation into an accident this week during the launch of a new warship, state news agency KCNA said Friday, May 23.

Pyongyang reported a major accident during the launching ceremony of a new destroyer on Wednesday, in which part of the ship's bottom was crushed. Leader Kim Jong-un, who attended the launch, called the incident a "criminal act." According to US and South Korean intelligence agencies, North Korea's "sideways launch attempt" of the ship failed, and the ship is currently tilted in the water, the South Korean military said.

A detailed underwater and internal inspection of the warship "confirmed that, contrary to what was initially announced, no breach was made in the bottom of the ship," the official news agency said. However, "the starboard hull was scratched and some seawater entered the aft section through the emergency exit," the agency added, assuring that the damage to the warship is "not serious." North Korean experts estimate that it will take "two or three days to restore the balance of the warship by pumping seawater from the flooded section," according to the source. The repair of the destroyer's hull is expected to take about ten days.

Hong Kil Ho, director of the shipyard where the accident occurred, was summoned by law enforcement on Thursday, the agency said. The name of the warship was not specified. Given its size, the South Korean military believes it could benefit from the same equipment as the Choe Hyon , a 5,000-ton destroyer-class ship unveiled by Pyongyang last month. Some experts believe the Choe Hyon is likely to be equipped with short-range tactical nuclear missiles. The South Korean military believes the Choe Hyon may have been developed with Russian assistance, likely in exchange for the thousands of North Korean troops sent to Russia to help Moscow against Kyiv. Analysts believe the ship affected by the accident at its launch may also have been built with Russian assistance.