The Voice News : A major mishap occurred involving a warship even before the commencement of its operations. Although all preparations for its inauguration were completed, the ship met with an accident. During the inauguration, the lower part of the warship collapsed. Following the incident, it has now been recovered.
According to a report published by Al Jazeera on Friday (June 6), North Korea’s state-run media outlet KCNA reported that the warship, which had suffered damage after a failed inaugural attempt in May, was retrieved and anchored at the port of Chongjin, in the northeastern part of the country. After restoring the ship’s balance in early June, it was docked on Thursday.
The ship’s hull was damaged when the transport cradle detached prematurely during the ceremony. The failed launch attempt took place in the presence of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and the ship partially capsized. Kim described the incident as a “criminal act caused by extreme carelessness.”
KCNA further reported that four officials have been arrested as part of the investigation, facing charges of tarnishing national dignity.
Starting next week, the hull of the ship will be inspected at the Rajin Dockyard within a 10-day timeframe, followed by the next phase of repairs. Authorities hope the full recovery will be completed by the end of this month, ahead of a key meeting of the ruling party.
Senior official of the ruling Workers’ Party, Jo Chun Ryong, stated, “The destroyer must be perfectly restored within the timeframe set by Kim Jong-un.”
Pyongyang claims the ship, named Choe Hyon, is equipped with the “most powerful weapons” and is expected to become operational by early next year.