North Korea Raises Capsized Destroyer Upright After Embarrassing Mishap

North Korea appears to have made progress in lifting its capsized warship that rolled over during a failed launch ceremony last month. New satellite images show that the 5,000-tonne Choe Hyun-class destroyer has been returned to an upright position at the Chongjin Shipyard. However, doubts remain over the full extent of the damage and whether the country can complete repairs by the deadline set by Kim Jong Un.

The incident happened on May 21, during a public side-launch of the second ship in the Choe Hyun class of frigates. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was present at the ceremony. The warship partially capsized, with its stern slipping into the water while the bow remained stuck on land. Experts believe the launch mechanism may have malfunctioned, causing the vessel to overturn.

U.S.-based North Korea monitoring website 38 North reported on Wednesday that commercial satellite imagery from June 2 confirms the ship is now upright for the first time since the accident. The flight deck and helipad markings at the stern are visible, although some areas are covered by light clouds.

Video Credits: The Independent/YouTube

The recovery process appears to have been manual. Earlier satellite images from May 29 showed workers pulling tethers from the quay, likely attached to the ship, to lift it. At least 30 buoys or airbags were spotted along one side of the vessel, which were possibly used to help stabilise and lift it. Some observers had initially mistaken these for barrage balloons, but 38 North said their use makes more sense in a floating support role.

Despite the progress, the ship’s bow is still on land and likely damaged. The sonar section in particular may have been affected. Images from May 29 show signs of damage in that area. If repairs are needed, the vessel may have to be moved out of the water and placed in a floating dry dock or graving dock. However, the Chongjin Shipyard lacks this infrastructure.

Chongjin Shipyard has mostly built cargo and fishing vessels in the past. It does not have experience in launching large warships like the Choe Hyun class, and military analysts say this may have contributed to the accident.

This is quite incredible speed. The image is partially obscured by cloud, but the capsized North Korean warship is now upright again. What makes it even more impressive is they apparently did it all manually.
: Airbus Space and Defence/38 North, June 2
www.38north.org/2025/06/quic…

— Martyn Williams (@martynw.bsky.social) June 3, 2025 at 11:58 PM

Moving the damaged vessel to another yard for repairs could be difficult, especially if the hull is seriously damaged. External support from Russia or China may be considered if the damage proves too severe to handle domestically.

After the incident, North Korean state media KCNA issued a report on May 23 saying the damage was not serious. According to KCNA, internal inspections showed that the hull was scratched on the starboard side and a small amount of seawater entered the stern through the rescue channel. There were no holes in the bottom of the ship, it claimed. The report said that the water entry was only relevant for recovery procedures and had nothing to do with the cause of the accident.

In the same KCNA report, officials estimated it would take two to three days to pump seawater out of the flooded areas and about 10 more days to restore the ship’s side. The recent satellite images suggest that the ship has been righted more or less within this timeline.

North Korea’s latest naval destroyer has been significantly damaged prior to its launch. In a rare acknowledgment, North Korea’s state news agency KCNA reported yesterday an incident occurred with a new destroyer in Chongjin, which was close to being launched. pic.twitter.com/0PfuqehYnF

— Open Source Centre (@osc_london) May 22, 2025

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called the accident a “criminal act” that damaged the country’s dignity and ordered strict punishment for those responsible. At least four shipyard officials have been detained so far.

Kim has ordered that the warship be fully restored before the upcoming meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party Central Committee this month. Many outside experts view this timeline as highly unrealistic, given the ship’s current state. The warship is still stuck with one end on the slipway and the other in the water, creating a risky and unstable situation.

References: Reuters, 38 North

Source: Maritime Shipping News