Kim Jong Un Condemns North Korean Warship Damaged During Launch

North Korea’s latest warship was damaged during its launch on Wednesday, in presence of its leader Kim Jong Un who hailed the incident as a “criminal act.” According to the Korean Central News Agency (KNCA), the 5000-ton destroyer malfunctioned during the launch causing the stern to move sideways earlier than expected. The movement led to the destroyer's bottom getting crushed, tipping the vessel off balance.

North Korean leader Kim ordered the vessel to be restored before a party meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party in June. He asserted that the incident "severely damaged the dignity and pride of our nation in an instant" and ordered those involved in the designing of the ship to be held responsible. The punishment for those held accountable has not yet been declared.

The incident occurred at the northeastern port of Chongjin which was attributed to the “inexperienced command and operational carelessness in the course of the launch." 

According to South Korea’s military, the vessel was caught lying sideways in water on Thursday. Reports suggest that such a malfunction during launch can be “catastrophic” for the vessel’s capabilities, as reported by CNN. 

North Korea had earlier tested the weapons system of its new destroyer named the “Choe Hyon warship.” It had claimed that the vessel was equipped with the “most powerful weapons” and that it would “enter into operation early next year”. The new generation warship was unveiled citing the rising threats from the United States and South Korea.