DPRK Capsized A New Destroyer: How It Happened

The very way the ship was launched played a key role in the failure.

North Korea has once again found itself in the international spotlight, this time because of a high-profile technical mishap: the newest 5,000-ton Choe Hyon-class missile destroyer capsized during a ceremonial launching. The incident occurred on May 22 at the Cheongjin shipyard, where work of this level was being carried out for the first time. Despite the North Korean shipbuilders' promises to level the ship in 10 days, the event caused widespread skepticism among experts, writes Defense Express.

Wrong angle, wrong place

It turned out that the very way the ship was launched played a key role in the failure. While the first destroyer of the class, built in Nampo, was launched stern-first - the traditional longitudinal method - Cheongjin opted for a transverse launch: the ship was dropped into the water sideways. This technique is usually used for small or medium-sized ships, not for destroyer-class giants.

Technically, the problem arose because the skids under the stern moved, but those under the bow did not. As a result - the hull of the ship lost its balance and fell on board, which was caught in the lenses of satellites and became a news story for the world media.

Analysts of the publication note that the main reason for the failure is not only an unsuccessful technical move, but the very organization of construction of the destroyer at the shipyard, which is not adapted to this level of complexity. Cheongjin has never built large-tonnage warships before, only cargo ships and boats. In addition, the authorities have not allocated resources to build the necessary infrastructure, particularly a slipway for longitudinal launching.

Pyongyang attributed the incident to "unscientific empiricism," but experts consider it a manifestation of voluntarism - an attempt to realize an ambitious plan without taking into account real possibilities.

The problem is just beginning

As of today, the destroyer remains in an overturned position. According to satellite imagery, no notable progress has been made in raising it. According to Hartpunkt, the DPRK lacks the necessary equipment - large air cushions that are normally used to level ships. Instead, North Korean engineers use small inflatable balloons, which are unlikely to be able to handle a vessel of this class.

The incident was a serious blow to the image of the DPRK, which was aiming to surpass Russia in the number of large surface ships and become the fourth most powerful fleet in the region.

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