Kim Jong-un Lashes Out After North Korean Warship Capsizes During Launch Ceremony

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was reportedly enraged after a newly launched 5,000-ton naval destroyer capsized during its launch ceremony—an event he personally attended.

According to Mail Online, Kim watched in disbelief as the warship suffered major damage due to a launch failure. The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) confirmed that “a serious accident occurred” during the ceremony held on Wednesday.

In a strongly worded statement, Kim condemned the incident as a “criminal act caused by absolute carelessness” and said it “could not be tolerated.” He has ordered the destroyer to be fully restored ahead of a crucial Central Committee meeting scheduled for June.

KCNA revealed that the disaster was caused by “immature command and operational negligence.” A failure in the bogie system led to the stern detaching prematurely, resulting in the ship losing balance and capsizing. The hull reportedly ruptured in several places, while the bow failed to separate from the keel.

Kim criticized the mishap as not just a technical failure, but a political embarrassment. “This is a serious accident and criminal act that could not have happened… due to pure carelessness, irresponsibility, and unscientific empiricism,” he said.

He added, “The urgent restoration of the destroyer is not a simple practical issue, but a political issue directly related to the authority of the country. It must be completed unconditionally before the June plenary session of the Central Committee of the Party.”

The warship involved is believed to be the same class as the Choi Hyun-ho, a 5,000-ton destroyer unveiled last month. Jo Chun Ryong, a senior official in the ruling Workers’ Party, previously described the vessel as armed with “the most powerful weapons” and constructed in just over 400 days.