"SEOUL -- A week ago, Kim Jong Un traveled to North Korea's "City of Iron," home to a major industrial shipyard where a hulking warship awaited him. A VIP podium was erected alongside the port for the vessel's launch. Officials waited in anticipation.
But the moment of celebration turned into calamity.
The 5,000-ton destroyer lost its balance as it lurched into the water, embarrassing Kim, who seeks to modernize his Soviet-era naval fleet. Four North Korean officials have been detained over the mishap, according to state media, which quoted Kim as calling it an "unpardonable crime."
What has become clearer is how an unconventional choice of launch method, Kim's rushed timetable and a top-heavy warship overladen with weapon systems was a recipe for disaster, according to satellite-imagery analysis, naval experts and North Korea's official statements.
"I haven't seen a failure like this one," said Mark Cancian, a retired Marine colonel now at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
The 470-feet-long warship -- Kim's second Choe Hyon-class destroyer -- was built at a port in the northeastern city of Chongjin. Days before the May 21 launch, satellite imagery showed the vessel alongside the dock, resting on a sloped ramp designed to slide it side first into the water. This setup meant North Korea chose to attempt a risky "side launch," as opposed to more common methods. The country hadn't before been observed attempting the method with other military vessels, according to 38 North, a website that analyzes North Korea. The movement requires precise calculations predicting the ship's center of gravity and the launch angle.
With Kim looking on, the warship didn't descend the rails evenly. Only its stern slid into the water, causing the vessel to topple into the water with its bow remaining on the dockside, experts who viewed the satellite images said.
North Korea said the accident occurred because of "inexperienced command and operational carelessness." Naval experts said a miscalculation of how to keep the ship balanced appears likely.
Blue tarps cover the warship, concealing from the outside world the extent of the damage.
The U.S. generally avoids side launches for large warships because other options are safer and more stable.
Side launches are commonly used for cargo vessels or tankers because they have flatter hulls and are easier to balance after being dropped into the water, naval experts said. The method is risky for warships because their hulls are narrow to maximize speed and they have bulky weapons systems mounted atop them.
To North Korea, a side launch also is a cheaper option and requires less advanced equipment than the common alternative, a so-called floating dock launch, in which a dock is filled with water.
The North Korean leader's demands for speed also likely played a role in the accident, said Neil Watts, a former South African navy captain.
The first Choe Hyon-class warship was built in roughly 400 days, North Korean state media said, with plans to deploy it by early 2026. The second began construction about a year ago, according to satellite-imagery analysis of Chongjin port.
That would be a fast turnaround for a country with North Korea's industrial limitations and inexperience, naval experts said. It typically takes Japan and South Korea about three years to build a frigate or destroyer. Europe takes three to six years and the U.S. often longer.” [1]
1. World News: Launch Method Doomed Kim's Warship. Yoon, Dasl. Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 29 May 2025: A7.
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