SEOUL, May 22. /TASS/. North Korea’s new destroyer sustained only limited damage in an accident during its recent launch, an official at the South Korean Ministry of Unification said.
"Given that orders were issued to repair the ship by a party plenum set for June, it is assumed that it has not suffered major damage that would affect its operation," the Newsis agency quoted the official as saying.
The South Korean Defense Ministry, in turn, noted that the vessel was currently in the water. The North Korean authorities are believed to have tried to carry out a side launch of the ship.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported earlier that on May 21, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un witnessed an accident where the new destroyer failed to be launched properly and suffered damage due to mistakes made by senior officials responsible for the process. The report says that specialists were unable to ensure the ship’s synchronized movement, which is why its hull was damaged, and the bow was left on the slipway.
Kim slammed the accident as a criminal act and ordered the ship to be restored by the plenum of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, which is expected to be held in late June.
According to South Korean media outlets, the report of the accident was published on the front page of Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of North Korea’s ruling party. However, no images were released. The South Korean media point out that earlier, the North Korean authorities promptly announced the failed launch of a reconnaissance satellite via the KCNA, but a newspaper announcement is unusual because the paper is primarily targeted at the domestic audience. Seoul sees it as an attempt "to maintain discipline through severe punishment for irresponsibility."