Blow to Kim’s ‘prestige’ as North Korean warship launch flops in front of him

A major accident occurred at a launch ceremony for a new North Korean naval destroyer, state media reported on Thursday, with leader Kim Jong-un saying the mishap was a “criminal act”.

At a ceremony to launch a new 5,000-tonne destroyer in the eastern port city of Chongjin on Wednesday “a serious accident occurred”, the official Korean Central News Agency said.

Blaming “inexperienced command and operational carelessness” during the launch, which was being observed by Kim, KCNA said there was a mishap which left “some sections of the warship’s bottom crushed”.

It said the accident managed to “destroy the balance of the warship”.

Kim watched the entire incident and declared it a “criminal act caused by absolute carelessness”, warning it “could not be tolerated”.

He said the “irresponsible errors” of officials responsible would be “dealt with at the plenary meeting of the Party Central Committee to be convened next month”.