top of page

North Korea’s New Warship Launch Fails; Kim Calls It a ‘Criminal Act’

May 23

2 min read



News Summary


North Korea reported a "serious accident" during the launch of a new 5,000-ton destroyer in Chongjin, which damaged the warship and prevented its successful deployment.


Kim Jong Un, who witnessed the mishap, condemned it as a "criminal act" caused by carelessness and poor planning, demanding accountability.


He ordered the warship to be fully restored before the upcoming Workers' Party plenary meeting in June and called for a thorough investigation.


Shortly after the accident, North Korea fired several cruise missiles into the East Sea.



Commentary


This major failure highlights the poor state of North Korea’s military technology and planning—largely a result of the Kim regime’s unrealistic demands and rushed timelines. Kim Jong-un’s desire to impress both domestic and international audiences with displays of advanced military power has backfired, turning what was meant to be a show of strength into a public embarrassment. No wonder he called it a “criminal act”—it struck at the heart of the image he’s trying to project.


Interestingly, the regime’s rare admission of such a serious failure may serve another purpose. As some experts suggest, this public shaming along with Kim's harsh rebuke could be used to instill fear, enforce obedience, and tighten control within the ranks.


Kim has now ordered the warship to be fully restored before the upcoming Workers' Party plenary meeting in June. While the ship may be patched up in time, the quality and reliability of the repairs are highly questionable. What we’re likely to see is not a genuine naval achievement but a hurried, superficial fix aimed at saving face.


Even the immediate missile launches that followed the incident seem like a desperate attempt to distract from the failure. But no show of force can erase the reality.


The crippled ship, unable to launch, is a reflection of the regime itself—fragile, overextended, and vulnerable. This could be a prophetic sign or the harbinger of the upcoming fall of the regime.

Related Posts

© 2025 NVNK

bottom of page