North Korea appears to have positively refloated a collapsed 5,000-ton destroyer in Chongjin during a botched launch on May 21. The failure, likely a test of intercontinental missile technology, took place in the presence of Kim Jong Un, who reportedly called the failure a “criminal act.” The accident resulted in the aft end sliding too quickly into the water. This caused severe damage to the hull and marooned the bow on the shipway. The NLMSMA report found that the cause of the accident was identified as an auxiliary launch escape mechanism failure.
In the wake of the incident, North Korean officials have apprehended four people that they say are to blame for the rocket launch failure. Repair assumed, damaged hull feared Analysts thought the damage would be in the hull itself. They are saying that it is not as bad as they thought. Carl Schuster, a former US Navy captain, said that intended hull damage would have had to be massively overstated.
North Korea’s official media took up this theme, claiming that the damage was not as severe as first reported. An embarrassed Kim Jong Un ordered repair officials to do the job as a priority. He went on to say that this project is national honor. He has given them a deadline of completion ahead of the late-June local government plenary session of the ruling Workers’ Party.
In a rare stroke of good fortune, that same North Korean government managed to successfully refloat the destroyer. They will now take it to another shipyard where the ship will be repaired in a dry dock. Central Committee Secretary Jo Chun Ryong expressed confidence in the project, stating, “the perfect restoration of the destroyer will be completed without fail.”
Perhaps surprisingly, analysts express optimism about the timeline for repairs. Schuster remarked on North Korea’s capacity to complete the undertaking if it applies the same effort shown during the refloating process. He noted, “Sheer manpower and – let’s face it – an innovative approach to righting the ship” could expedite the readiness for sea trials.
Furthermore, he added, “Nearly everything is doable if you are willing to commit the resources and have the human talent to employ it.” This perspective suggests that North Korea’s military capabilities could see enhancements if they focus on efficient resource allocation during repairs.
