NORTH Korea has arrested three shipyard bosses after a humiliating warship launch flop that Kim Jong-un called a “criminal act”.
The 5,000-tonne destroyer – hailed as a symbol of military might – ended up crushed and listing in the harbour during a high-profile launch in the port city of Chongjin last Wednesday.
ReutersA satellite image of the ship covered with a blue tarp after an accident at the shipyard in Chongjin, North Korea[/caption]
AFPSatelite picture of the ship before the accident[/caption]
State media on Sunday said three officials – chief engineer Kang Jong Chol, hull workshop head Han Kyong Hak, and deputy manager Kim Yong Hak – were detained over the “serious accident”.
Kim Jong-un, who watched the botched launch unfold in person, reportedly fumed that the fiasco had “damaged the country’s dignity”.
The Pyongyang tyrant has since ordered the ship to be restored by next month’s ruling party meeting, with repairs already under way.
KCNA said the incident was “a criminal act caused by absolute carelessness” and insisted those involved “can never evade their responsibility for the crime”.
Satellite images showed the vessel lying on its side, covered in blue tarps.
The stern appeared to have slipped into the water while the bow remained on the shipway – a spectacle experts say amplified the embarrassment for the regime.
“No matter how good the state of the warship is, the fact that the accident is an unpardonable criminal act remains unchanged,” KCNA added.
South Korea’s military, citing joint analysis with US intelligence, said Pyongyang’s side-launch attempt of the ship had failed and left it crippled.
But North Korean state media claimed an “underwater and internal inspection” showed “no holes made at the warship’s bottom”, calling the damage “not serious”.
Despite the regime’s insistence, insiders say Kim is hunting for scapegoats as part of a high-stakes purge.
The manager of the Chongjin shipyard, Hong Kil Ho, has also been summoned by law enforcement and could face similar repercussions.
The failed destroyer is believed to be the same class as the newly unveiled Choe Hyon warship – a 5,000-tonne behemoth reportedly capable of carrying nuclear-capable cruise missiles.
Analysts believe Russian help may have gone into its development, possibly in exchange for North Korean troops aiding Moscow in Ukraine.
More to follow… For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos.
Like us on Facebook at TheSunUS and follow us on X at @TheUSSun
Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
