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Botched destroyer launch: Inside North Korea's naval blunder
A satellite image shows a Choe Hyon-class destroyer, which was damaged in May upon its attempted first launch, in Rajin North Korea, June 8, 2025.
What you need to know:
- A newly launched 5,000-tonne North Korean destroyer partially capsized during the launch ceremony, which is a significant setback for Kim Jong Un's ambitions to upgrade the navy.
- Kim labelled the incident a "criminal act", leading to the detention of several officials and an urgent order to restore the ship before a key ruling party meeting.
- The damaged warship has now been moved to the Rajin Ship Repair Factory, a vital facility near the Russian border, where it will undergo extensive repairs before its weapons systems can be installed.
A North Korean stricken destroyer that partially capsized during a botched launching ceremony has arrived at a ship repair factory, a Washington think tank said.
The destroyer that suffered a failed launch was moved to the graving dock at Rajin Dockyard, also known as Rajin Ship Repair Factory, by June 8, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said, based on satellite imagery.
State media reported on Friday that experts would examine the hull for the next stage of restorations, to be carried out at Rajin Dockyard for 7-10 days.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who witnessed the failed launch of the destroyer, called the accident a "criminal act".
Botched launch aftermath
Since the accident in May, North Korea has said it detained several officials, and Kim ordered the ship restored before a ruling party meeting this month.
The Rajin shipyard, located near the Russian border, has produced many of North Korea's larger warships for decades, CSIS said.
"Once any critical repairs or restoration work are completed, the vessel will likely be transferred to the shipyard's fitting out dock, where its weapons and other systems will be installed and subsequently commissioned," the think tank said in a report.
The ship lay on its side in the water after the botched launch, but it was pulled upright, according to US researchers and the South Korean military.
The 5,000-ton destroyers launched by North Korea this year are the country's largest warships yet, part of leader Kim's push to upgrade its naval power with vessels capable of carrying and launching dozens of missiles.
