On May 21, North Korea’s second 5,000-ton Choe Hyon-class destroyer failed to launch. The stern slipway detached prematurely, leaving the bow stuck on the slipway at a roughly 45-degree angle. This caused scraping along the starboard side, distortion and deformation of the hull, and seawater flooding in from the stern. The extent of damage to onboard equipment remains unknown. Kim Jong Un, who attended the launch ceremony, flew into a rage on the spot and ordered a thorough investigation to identify those responsible. Between May 22 and 25, Hong Gi-ho, director of the Chongjin Shipyard; Kang Jeong-chol, chief engineer; Han Kyung-hak, head of the hull assembly workshop; Kim Yong-hak, deputy director of administration; and Ri Hyong-seon, deputy minister of the Central Military Industry Department, were all detained in succession.
The main reasons for the failed launch at Chongjin Shipyard are as follows: First, technical shortcomings—the shipyard has mainly built civilian vessels in the past, not warships. Second, lack of experience—the largest warship previously constructed was the 1,500-ton Rajin-class frigate, yet they attempted to leap straight to building two 5,000-ton modern destroyers. Third, inadequate hardware—the shipyard lacks a mature industrial system, as well as docks, cranes, and space, making it impossible to use a dock launch and forcing them to resort to the riskiest side-launch method. Fourth, insufficient time—the project was clearly rushed, likely as a tribute to the upcoming 12th Plenary Session of the 8th Central Committee in late June.
The greatest responsibility, however, lies with Kim Jong Un himself. Driven by grandiosity and disregard for science and common sense, he has pushed for a military “Great Leap Forward” and “Chollima speed” far beyond North Korea’s national capacity. Major accidents are neither new (there have already been failed missile and satellite launches) nor likely to be the last. Without any investigation, he immediately declared the incident a serious “criminal act” on site, elevating it to the level of damaging North Korea’s “dignity and self-respect.” At the same time, he ordered that repairs “must be unconditionally completed before the June plenary session of the Party Central Committee”—that is, within a month.