North Korean Leader Livid After New Warship Damaged During Launch

A visibly angry  Kim Jong-un condemned the botched launch of a new warship, which he witnessed, as a “grave and significant accident” amounting to a “criminal act.”

The 5000 ton-class warship had failed to slide into the water during its launch attempt on Wednesday. The ship hit the bottom of the shallow harbor and tilted to its side. The damage, feared to be extensive to its hull, would take months to repair.

North Korean state-owned media reported today about the failed launch of the new destroyer at the Chongjin Shipyard in North Hamgyong Province.

Kim’s criticism and warning was reported on Rodong Sinmun, the country’s most widely circulated newspaper.

"Comrade Kim Jong-un delivered a grave assessment, saying that this was a grave and significant accident — utterly inconceivable and absolutely unacceptable — caused by sheer carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism, and that it constitutes a criminal act," the state-owned newspaper report read.

South Korean media attributed the failure to use of the slipway method used to launch the destroyer, in which a ship is side-launched from the quay — a technique not previously seen in North Korea.

The accident occurred due to "inexperienced command and careless handling during the launch process," which failed to keep the movement of the launch sleds — the structures that slide the warship into the water — properly balanced, according to the report.

As a result, the sled under the stern detached first and ran aground, puncturing part of the ship’s bottom and throwing the vessel off balance. The bow section of the warship was left stuck on the slipway, the report added.

Ship must be restored before June: Kim Jong Un

 Kim ordered that the restoration of the destroyer "must be unconditionally completed" before the plenary meeting of the Party Central Committee in late June, which state media concurrently announced on Thursday would be convened.

"Comrade Kim Jong-un sternly warned and pressed accountability, stating that the irresponsible mistakes of the relevant units ... and the officials at the Chongjin Shipyard cannot but be dealt with at the plenary meeting of the Party Central Committee to be convened next month," according to the state media report.