North Korea’s efforts to strengthen its navy faced a big problem this week. The country’s second new naval destroyer was seriously damaged while being launched into the water.
North Korea’s New Destroyer Faces a Major Accident During Launch
This happened during an official ceremony on May 21, 2025, in the northeastern port city of Chongjin. The accident was a rare admission of failure by North Korean state media, which normally keeps such problems secret.
The new warship, weighing about 5,000 tons, became unbalanced during the launch and was hurt when part of the ship’s transport cradle slipped off. This caused the bottom of the ship to be punctured, making it unable to float properly. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the country’s official news outlet, reported this unusual incident on May 22, but gave few details about what exactly caused the problem or how badly the ship was damaged. They also did not say if anyone was hurt during the accident.
At the ceremony, Kim Jong-un, was present and personally reacted to the failure. He blamed military officials, scientists, and shipyard workers for what he called a “serious accident and criminal act.” He said it happened because of “absolute carelessness, irresponsibility, and unscientific empiricism.” Kim ordered a special meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party in late June to investigate the errors and hold those responsible accountable.
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What This Incident Tells Us About North Korea’s Naval Goals
Experts outside North Korea say the fact that the country’s media openly reported this accident shows that Kim Jong-un is very serious about building a stronger navy. The incident is embarrassing for North Korea but also reveals the pressure to modernize its naval forces quickly.
Moon Keun-sik, a naval expert from Seoul’s Hanyang University, said that shipbuilders might not be familiar enough with such large warships. He suggested that the workers may have rushed the launch before they were ready, causing the accident. This could explain why the transport cradle slipped and damaged the ship.
The damaged destroyer is believed to be in the same class as North Korea’s first destroyer, which was revealed in April 2025. This first ship is named Choe Hyon, after a famous Korean guerilla fighter from the time when Korea was under Japanese rule. It is considered the largest and most advanced warship North Korea has built so far.
North Korea’s state media described the Choe Hyon as a powerful ship capable of using many weapons, including anti-aircraft missiles, anti-ship weapons, and even nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles. Kim Jong-un said that this ship was expected to be ready for active duty by early 2026 and that missile tests would be done from it later.
A spokesperson for South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, Lee Sung-joon, said on May 22 that the damaged destroyer probably had similar weapons systems and that the ship was still lying toppled in the sea after the failed launch.
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Broader Context of Naval Developments and Military Tests
Satellite images recently showed that North Korea has been building this second destroyer at the Hambuk shipyard in Chongjin. A think tank called the Center for Strategic and International Studies, through its website Beyond Parallel, shared satellite pictures taken on May 12 showing the ship under construction.
Another report by 38 North, a website that focuses on North Korean issues, explained that this second destroyer was being launched sideways from the quay—a method rarely used by North Korea. The first destroyer was launched differently, using a floating dry dock at a shipyard in Nampo on the west coast.
South Korean officials and experts say that Russia may have helped North Korea build these destroyers because the two countries have been increasing their military cooperation. Although North Korea’s navy is still weaker than South Korea’s, experts warn that these new destroyers could still be a serious security threat. The ships could improve North Korea’s ability to attack and defend, especially with their missile systems.
Kim Jong-un has said that his naval build-up is a response to threats from the United States and its allies in Asia. These countries have been increasing their joint military exercises near North Korea. Kim also mentioned that his next goal is to get a nuclear-powered submarine, which would further strengthen the navy.
On the same day as the news about the damaged destroyer was released, North Korea fired several cruise missiles from near Sondok, a town in the northeast. South Korea’s military confirmed the launches but said they were still analyzing the distance the missiles traveled. These missile tests have been happening regularly in recent years as part of North Korea’s weapons development program.