Pyongyang [North Korea], May 26: North Korea recently had an accident when launching a new destroyer said to be similar to the country's largest and most modern surface warship.
North Korea's state news agency KCNA reported on May 25 that law enforcement authorities had arrested three key shipyard officials responsible for the accident that caused a new warship to capsize during its launching ceremony on May 21. Those arrested were: Kang Jong-chol, chief engineer of the Chongjin Shipyard; Han Kyong-hak, head of the shipyard's hull building; and Kim Yong-hak, deputy manager in charge of administrative affairs.
Authorities are also stepping up their investigation into the accident that caused the new warship to capsize, KCNA reported yesterday. Meanwhile, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS, USA) said that the Chongjin shipyard mainly produces cargo ships and fishing boats, and "certainly lacks significant expertise" in launching large warships like the new destroyer.
"Criminal conduct due to negligence"
The accident damaged part of the newly built 5,000-ton destroyer during its launching ceremony in the eastern city of Chongjin . North Korean leader Kim Jong-un watched the entire incident, calling it a "criminal act of negligence" and warning that it would be "unforgivable," KCNA reported on May 22. Kim said that "irresponsible mistakes" by those responsible would be dealt with at a meeting next month.
A satellite image later showed the ship partially submerged, tilted to one side while covered with a tarpaulin. However, KCNA reported that underwater and internal inspections of the ship had confirmed that "unlike initial reports, there was no hole in the bottom of the ship," calling the damage "not serious." KCNA also reported that "recovery work" was proceeding as planned.
Based on its size and scale, the South Korean military believes the new warship is equipped similarly to the 5,000-ton Choe Hyon-class destroyer that was launched at North Korea's Nampho military shipyard on April 25. At the time, Pyongyang claimed that the Choe Hyon-class destroyer was equipped with "the most powerful weapons" and would "enter service early next year."
North Korea Aims for Blue Sea Navy?
The Choe Hyon-class destroyer is North Korea's largest and most advanced surface warship, according to Naval News . North Korean media has emphasized that the Choe Hyon is part of a program to transform the country's navy into a blue-water navy, a term used to describe a navy capable of operating in deep seas and vast oceans. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un appears to have set an ambitious agenda to significantly increase North Korea's naval capabilities both on and under water.
The Choe Hyon-class destroyer was launched more than a month after KCNA reported that Kim had inspected a nuclear-powered submarine project and reviewed a "strategic nuclear-powered guided missile submarine." The phrase "strategic nuclear-powered guided missile submarine" could indicate that it was a nuclear-powered submarine capable of launching submarine-launched ballistic missiles, commonly known as a ballistic missile submarine (SSBN). This is the first time North Korea has publicly disclosed the construction of an SSBN and what it looks like, according to Yonhap News Agency.
The North Korean navy has about 400 patrol vessels and 70 submarines, according to the latest estimates from the US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) in its 2021 report, but most of them are old and small. The DIA report said the North Korean navy would be largely reduced to a coastal defense force in any conflict with South Korea or the US. However, leader Kim has pushed to modernize the North Korean navy, according to CNN.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
