North Korea Arrests Shipyard Officials After 5,000-Ton Warship Capsizes

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un witnessed the failed launch of a newly built 5,000-ton destroyer at Chongjin shipyard, where the warship capsized and partially submerged during a sideways launch attempt, causing significant embarrassment to the regime. Following an intensified investigation, North Korean authorities arrested key shipyard officials, including the chief engineer Kang Jong-chol, the head of the hull construction workshop Han Kyong-hak, and the deputy manager Kim Yong-hak, holding them responsible for the accident, which Kim condemned as a "criminal act" that damaged the country's dignity. Satellite images revealed the warship lying on its side covered by blue tarpaulins, with damage primarily to the starboard hull, though reports indicated no serious holes and that recovery efforts were underway. The incident highlighted the shipyard's lack of experience with large warship launches, as Chongjin primarily builds commercial vessels, and the sideways launch method had not been used before for such large naval ships in North Korea. Kim Jong-un ordered the warship's restoration before a ruling party meeting in June and promised severe consequences for those responsible, reflecting the regime's harsh stance on failures. This mishap contrasts with North Korea's successful destroyer launch in April at another port, which used a different and more controlled dry dock method.