Latest news with #ChoeHyon-class
Mint
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Mint
North Korea Restores Damaged Warship, Plans Two More Next Year
North Korea said it successfully refloated a 5,000-ton destroyer that suffered damage in a botched launch attempt last month that left it foundering in shallow water, with leader Kim Jong Un vowing to build two more vessels of the same class next year as part of his efforts to boost the country's naval capabilities. A second launch ceremony for the Choe Hyon-class destroyer Kang Kon took place at the northeastern port of Rajin on Thursday, state media Korean Central News Agency said, less than a month after reporting a 'serious accident' during the first attempted launch of the ship in May. 'Despite the difficulties and obstacles, our massive shipbuilding plans aimed at building advanced naval power are being pushed forward at the fastest pace possible,' Kim said in a speech at the ceremony. The warship will be delivered to the navy for operations by mid-2026, and the ruling party has approved a plan to build two more 5,000-ton class destroyers next year, Kim said. 'Soon enough the enemies will learn themselves how provocative and unpleasant it is to see enemy ships running through the periphery of their sovereign waters,' Kim said. The North Korean leader slammed the approach of US strategic assets into the region as raising the risk of a nuclear war and said his forces will take 'overwhelming military action' against any aggressive move. The remarks were made just as the White House said President Donald Trump is open to communications with Kim. South Korea said it's closely communicating with the US on their North Korea policy. Analysts said the relatively fast restoration of the damaged warship signals North Korea's capability to pursue a quick naval build-up. The exact extent of the damage done to the ship in last month's accident was not disclosed. It's also unclear whether the destroyer has been fully repaired. 'Experts are generally skeptical about North Korea's naval capabilities, but time and again, including the country's recent floating of the capsized ship, the country has demonstrated that it can make impressive progress when it is prepared to devote priority, resources, and time,' the 38 North program at the Stimson Center said in a report. The country's navy mainly consists of smaller vessels for coastal defense. The new destroyers were designed to extend the nation's firepower in the Yellow Sea to the west and in eastern waters in the direction of Japan. The new vessels can launch guided missiles and boast an air defense system that include the Russian Pantsir-M, 'manifesting the growing cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow,' according to an analysis by Beyond Parallel, which focuses on North Korea. 'While North Korea's two Choe Hyon-class destroyers may not yet match the sophistication of their South Korean or US counterparts, the pace with which they were built suggests North Korean shipyards are gaining the expertise needed to produce more advanced warships in the near future,' the 38 North report said. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Miami Herald
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
North Korea Issues Update on Capsized Navy Ship
North Korea has righted a naval ship that capsized and was damaged during a botched launch in May, restoring its balance and mooring it to a pier, state media confirmed. The launch failure was an embarrassment for leader Kim Jong Un, who oversaw the incident and scolded the officials responsible, later saying they would be held criminally liable. The destroyer is now set for repairs in the Rajin Dockyard over the next 10 days, North Korea's KCNA reported, with a deadline for its "perfect restoration" set by Kim for before a major party congress in late June. Outside experts say it remains unclear how severely the 5,000-ton-class destroyer was damaged. Kim had called the failure a "criminal act caused by absolute carelessness, irresponsibility, and unscientific empiricism." The destroyer became unbalanced and was punctured in its bottom sections after a transport cradle on the stern section slid off first and became stuck, KCNA said at the time. "North Korea's failed ship launch was a huge embarrassment to Kim Jong Un, especially since it happened in front of his eyes," said Andrew Yeo, a senior fellow with the Washington, D.C.-based Brookings Institution's Center for Asia Policy Studies. North Korean law enforcement authorities have detained at least four officials over the incident, including the vice director of the Workers' Party's munitions industry department, according to state media. The North's main military committee said those responsible would be held accountable for their "unpardonable criminal act." Lee Sung Joon, spokesperson for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters Thursday that the South's military assesses that the North Koreans righted the ship earlier this week and are likely conducting drainage operations while examining the damage. "The nature and duration of the repair process will vary, depending on internal repairs, additional work or whether the incident affected the keel," Lee said, referring to the ship's structural backbone. "This could also affect how the ship is used going forward." The damaged warship was North Korea's second known destroyer and seen as a crucial asset toward Kim's goal of modernizing its naval forces. North Korea launched the first of its Choe Hyon-class destroyers in late April at its Nampho shipyard southwest of Pyongyang, which analysts said was the largest warship the country had ever produced. This new type of destroyer will be able to launch advanced weapons, including cruise and ballistic missiles, North Korea has said. This is a developing article. Updates to follow. This article uses reporting by The Associated Press. Related Articles US Demands 'End' to Military Cooperation Between North Korea and Russia'Significant Step': New Photos Reveal North Korean Warship UpdateGlobal Arms Race Warning Issued As Nuclear Warheads IncreaseNorth Korea Celebrates Triplets Amid Birth Rate Crisis 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Miami Herald
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
‘Significant Step': New Photos Reveal North Korean Warship Update
North Korean workers have succeeded in pulling a capsized warship upright, new analysis suggests, after Pyongyang condemned the failed launch of its new destroyer last month as an international embarrassment. North Korea, increasingly allied with Russia and broadcasting its intensive military build-up, has swerved away from long-held policies of reconciliation with South Korea and adopted a more aggressive tone toward the U.S., a key ally for Seoul. Pyongyang has forged ahead with its weapons development, including nuclear warheads, and pushed for a more formidable navy. North Korea's attempt to launch a second Choe Hyon-class destroyer at its northeastern Chongjin port on May 21 ended in a "serious accident," North Korean state media reported at the time. The first of this new type of warship was successfully launched in April. The second 5,000-ton warship was damaged "due to inexperienced command and operational carelessness," state media reported, an unusually candid public assessment for the secretive nation seeking to exude military strength. The country's supreme leader, Kim Jong Un, was present for the bungled launch. "North Korea's failed ship launch was a huge embarrassment to Kim Jong Un, especially since it happened in front of his eyes," said Andrew Yeo, a senior fellow with the Washington, D.C.-based Brookings Institution's Center for Asia Policy Studies. Kim, who called the launch failure a "criminal act," ordered the warship to be restored. State media reported shortly after the incident that authorities had arrested four people over the botched launch. It would take up to three days to pump seawater from flooded parts of the ship, and roughly 10 days to pull the ship upright, according to state media. Satellite imagery published by the 38 North project, which focuses on North Korea and is run by the Washington, D.C.-based Stimson Center nonprofit, from Monday showed that the warship was upright for the first time in several weeks, the analysts said. Personnel at the dock have taken a "significant step" toward restoring the vessel, they added. The warship was significantly damaged," the U.K.-based Open Source Centre nonprofit said last month. The vessel "will not be entering service anytime soon and may ultimately prove to be a complete loss," experts with the Center for Strategic and International Studies' Beyond Parallel project said in late May. North Korea launched the first of its Choe Hyon-class destroyers in late April at its Nampho shipyard southwest of Pyongyang, which analysts said was the largest warship the country had ever produced. This new type of destroyer will be able to launch advanced weapons, including cruise and ballistic missiles, North Korea has said. "Kim has taken a deep personal interest in promoting the country's ongoing naval modernization," Yeo told Newsweek. The failed launch at the Chongjin shipyard "not only undermined the narrative of North Korea's powerful naval build-up, but it also cast doubt on whether North Korea has the actual means and capabilities to build a new fleet of ships as quickly as it hopes." North Korean state media, on May 23: "The accident is an unpardonable criminal act. Those responsible for it can never evade their responsibility for the crime." Related Articles Nuclear Arms Race Warning as Warheads IncreaseNorth Korea Celebrates Triplets Amid Birth Rate CrisisUS Allies Stage War Games Near ChinaNorth Korean Soldiers Praised by Russia for Fighting Ukraine 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
'Significant Step': New Photos Reveal North Korean Warship Update
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. North Korean workers have succeeded in pulling a capsized warship upright, new analysis suggests, after Pyongyang condemned the failed launch of its new destroyer last month as an international embarrassment. Why It Matters North Korea, increasingly allied with Russia and broadcasting its intensive military build-up, has swerved away from long-held policies of reconciliation with South Korea and adopted a more aggressive tone toward the U.S., a key ally for Seoul. Pyongyang has forged ahead with its weapons development, including nuclear warheads, and pushed for a more formidable navy. This photo provided by the North Korean government shows what it says is the test firing of missiles from a newly launched destroyer Choe Hyon at an undisclosed place in North Korea on April 28-29,... This photo provided by the North Korean government shows what it says is the test firing of missiles from a newly launched destroyer Choe Hyon at an undisclosed place in North Korea on April 28-29, 2025. More Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP What To Know North Korea's attempt to launch a second Choe Hyon-class destroyer at its northeastern Chongjin port on May 21 ended in a "serious accident," North Korean state media reported at the time. The first of this new type of warship was successfully launched in April. The second 5,000-ton warship was damaged "due to inexperienced command and operational carelessness," state media reported, an unusually candid public assessment for the secretive nation seeking to exude military strength. The country's supreme leader, Kim Jong Un, was present for the bungled launch. "North Korea's failed ship launch was a huge embarrassment to Kim Jong Un, especially since it happened in front of his eyes," said Andrew Yeo, a senior fellow with the Washington, D.C.-based Brookings Institution's Center for Asia Policy Studies. Commercial satellite imagery shows that the Choe Hyun class destroyer at Chongjin has been returned to an upright position. — 38 North (@38NorthNK) June 3, 2025 Kim, who called the launch failure a "criminal act," ordered the warship to be restored. State media reported shortly after the incident that authorities had arrested four people over the botched launch. It would take up to three days to pump seawater from flooded parts of the ship, and roughly 10 days to pull the ship upright, according to state media. Satellite imagery published by the 38 North project, which focuses on North Korea and is run by the Washington, D.C.-based Stimson Center nonprofit, from Monday showed that the warship was upright for the first time in several weeks, the analysts said. Personnel at the dock have taken a "significant step" toward restoring the vessel, they added. The warship was significantly damaged," the U.K.-based Open Source Centre nonprofit said last month. The vessel "will not be entering service anytime soon and may ultimately prove to be a complete loss," experts with the Center for Strategic and International Studies' Beyond Parallel project said in late May. North Korea launched the first of its Choe Hyon-class destroyers in late April at its Nampho shipyard southwest of Pyongyang, which analysts said was the largest warship the country had ever produced. This new type of destroyer will be able to launch advanced weapons, including cruise and ballistic missiles, North Korea has said. "Kim has taken a deep personal interest in promoting the country's ongoing naval modernization," Yeo told Newsweek. The failed launch at the Chongjin shipyard "not only undermined the narrative of North Korea's powerful naval build-up, but it also cast doubt on whether North Korea has the actual means and capabilities to build a new fleet of ships as quickly as it hopes." What People Are Saying North Korean state media, on May 23: "The accident is an unpardonable criminal act. Those responsible for it can never evade their responsibility for the crime."
Mint
04-06-2025
- General
- Mint
North Korea races to fix capsized warship by Kim's deadline
SEOUL : The North Korean warship that capsized last month during a botched launch has returned to an upright position, satellite imagery shows, as the country works to restore the vessel before leader Kim Jong Un's patience runs out. The 5,000-ton destroyer is one of Kim's crown jewels in his dream of modernizing his decades-old navy. At a May 21 launch event, Kim witnessed his Choe Hyon-class destroyer—only North Korea's second such modernized warship—topple into the water. Officials had deployed a risky 'side launch" maneuver to get the ship off the dock. It failed. The destroyer's bow remained on land, while the stern plunged into the surrounding waters—flipping on its side and partially sinking. 'Absolute carelessness," Kim told officials. That was exactly two weeks ago. In the mishap's immediate aftermath, North Korea vowed to pump out the seawater over several days; the ship would be back upright in roughly 10 days. It covered the ship in blue tarps, hiding the damage to the outside world. The effort appears to be on track, despite the end-of-June target to restore the ship being met with skepticism, according to 38 North, a leading authority on North Korea's military, which analyzed satellite imagery of the Chongjin shipyard on June 2. Helipad markings that would be on the stern's deck are now visible, said 38 North, a website affiliated with the Stimson Center, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. The Choe Hyon-class warship—named after a former North Korean guerrilla fighter—appears to have incurred damage to the sonar bow section, it added. Repairs would typically require the ship to be taken out of the water, then moved to the types of dry docks that the Chongjin shipyard lacks, 38 North said. For now, the damaged bow remains on the dock's launch mechanism, suggesting repairs will begin with that part of the warship, 38 North said. North Korean state media hasn't commented publicly if the submerged vessel has been lifted out of the water. The most-recent official mention of the warship came last week with a report that work restoring the balance of the warship was underway. North Korea has called the gaffe an 'unpardonable crime." The North Korean warship does appear to be upright in the satellite imagery from the 38 North report, and hitting the intended timeline seems plausible, said Choi Il, a retired South Korean navy captain. 'North Korea moved fast to keep the ship from sinking further into the sea," said Choi, who now heads the Submarine Research Institute in South Korea, which archives documents. Write to Dasl Yoon at and Timothy W. Martin at
