New North Korean Warship Suffers Serious Hull Damage During Launch

The vessel is believed to be a sister ship of first-in-class frigate Choe Hyun, above (file image courtesy KCNA) — The vessel is believed to be a sister ship of first-in-class frigate Choe Hyon, above (file image courtesy KCNA)

On Wednesday, North Korea's small navy expected to launch its newest warship with supreme leader Kim Jong Un in attendance - but it did not go as planned. The launch system at the shipyard malfunctioned, and the stern slid into the water while the bow remained on shore, causing extensive hull damage.

In comments carried by state-controlled Korea Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim took aim at every institution involved in the destroyer's construction - including the design bureau - and called the launch failure "a criminal act." He called for "political accountability" for the "inexperienced command and operational carelessness in the course of the launch."

Satellite images of the site at Chongjin Shipyard show that the vessel was lined up with a side-launch ramp on the quayside in the days before the casualty. The Chongjin yard lacks a drydock or an inclined marine railway for launching. The infrastructure for the side launch method is affordable, but is not preferred for complex vessel construction: a side launch imposes larger forces on the hull and installed components, and as a dynamic, kinetic event, it is prone to mishaps - even capsizings, if the vessel heels over too far during launch. This complicates construction planning and may limit how much work can be done on the vessel before it is launched.

The accident described by KCNA appeared to describe a malfunction of the side launch system. Some sections of the bottom were "crushed by the forces involved," KCNA said. The agency added that the officials responsible for the accident will be "dealt with" during the next meeting of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea in June.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff assessed that the damage may have been more severe than admitted by the North: a spokesperson told media that the new warship was "lying on its side in the sea."

Kim has instructed the shipyard to fix the vessel's hull before the next Central Committee meeting in June.

The newbuild is believed to be a sister ship or near-sister ship of the Choe Hyon, a first-in-class warship launched last month at Nampo Shipyard. Choe Hyon - a heavily armed vessel with the displacement of a frigate - is likely capable of launching ballistic missiles, and has 74 VLS cells in several sizes.