Kim Jong-un calls failed North Korean warship launch a "criminal act"
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A screenshot of a Yonhap News TV broadcast of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un this month at an undisclosed location in North Korea. Photo: Kim Jae-Hwan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un responded with fury after watching a "serious accident" during the launch of a new warship Thursday that he described as a "criminal act," the state-run KCNA reported.
Why it matters: It's highly unusual for Kim to criticize his defense forces or for state media to report on an error — though KCNA did not disclose whether there were any casualties as it reported that parts of the 5,000-ton destroyer were crushed in the incident.
Details: KCNA said the accident was caused by "inexperienced command and operational carelessness in the course of the launch."
- Kim made a "stern assessment, saying that it was a serious accident and criminal act caused by sheer carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism which should never occur and could not be tolerated," per KCNA.
- He ordered that the ship be restored at the shipyard in the northeastern port city of Chongjin and said the errors "lowered the dignity and self-respect of our state," according to KCNA
- North Korean officials have launched "a full-scale investigation," KCNA said Friday morning local time.
- "It is necessary to make clear the cause of the accident," KCNA said.
Between the lines: KCNA reported that the "extent of damage to the warship is not serious," but the U.K.-based Open Source Centre noted on X that satellite images of the frigate on its side beside the dock show it was "significantly damaged."
- The high resolution imagery "shows the ship lies partially submerged on its side, tarpaulins draped over the wreckage in a visible attempt to contain the disaster," said the nonprofit that works in open source intelligence and analytics.
- "This was the second new destroyer built by the Pyongyang regime in the last year, with another launched in April in Nampo."
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