A serious accident during the launch of a new North Korean warship has been branded a “criminal act” by the country’s leader.
Kim Jong Un, who witnessed the failed launch of the destroyer, said the accident was caused by “carelessness”.
The incident at the northern port of Chongjin was caused by a loss of balance while the vessel was being launched, state media reported.
KCNA said sections of the bottom of the warship were crushed, but gave no further details of damage sustained. It did not mention whether there were any injuries.
“Kim Jong Un made stern assessment saying that it was a serious accident and criminal act caused by absolute carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism which is out of the bounds of possibility and could not be tolerated,” KCNA said.
The North Korean leader said the accident “brought the dignity and self-respect of our state to a collapse”.
He said the immediate restoration of the warship was “not merely a practical issue but a political issue directly related to the authority of the state”.
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The damaged warship was lying sideways in the water after the failed launch, South Korea‘s military said.
Later on Thursday, it said North Korea fired multiple cruise missiles around the time its state media reported the failed launch.
In a report on preparations for the launch, US-based website 38 North said it appeared the ship would be side-launched from the quay, a method not previously observed in North Korea.
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It comes after the North Korean leader attended the launch of a similar-sized destroyer alongside his daughter Kim Ju Ae last month.
The vessels are the country’s largest warships yet.
