A serious accident occurred in the North Korean port of Chongjin in the northeast of the country during the launching ceremony of a new 5-ton destroyer, the state news agency KCNA reported. The ship, intended to strengthen the country's navy, lost its balance during the launch: the transport cradle on the stern slid off prematurely and got stuck, which led to damage to the lower sections of the destroyer's hull.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who attended the ceremony with his daughter, called the incident a “serious crime” caused by “carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism” on the part of responsible officials, scientists and shipyard workers. He said the accident “tarnished the dignity and self-respect of the state.” Kim Jong-un called for a thorough investigation and a review of the mistakes of those responsible at a plenary session of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) scheduled for late June 2025. He also ordered repairs to the destroyer as soon as possible, before the start of the party congress, emphasizing that restoring the ship is not only a practical but also a political task related to the authority of the state. Information on casualties in the accident has not been officially reported.

The incident has caused a stir in international media. According to South Korean news agency Yonhap, South Korean and US intelligence believes that this is the first time North Korea has attempted to use the side launch method for such a large ship. The US publication 38 North, which specializes in analyzing North Korean events, previously noted that this method of launching has not been used in the DPRK due to a lack of experience with large military vessels. Moon Geun-sik, a naval expert at Hanyang University in Seoul, explained to Reuters: “North Korean workers probably do not have enough experience with such large ships, and rushing to launch before the party congress could have aggravated the situation.”

The 5-ton destroyer is part of an ambitious program to modernize the DPRK navy. Earlier, on April 25, 2025, Kim Jong-un attended the launch of another destroyer of the same class, named Choe Hyon, in the port of Nampo on the west coast. At that time, according to the Associated Press, the ship was successfully launched, and Kim announced that it would enter service in the navy in early 2026. However, 38 North noted that tugs were used to move the vessel, which may indicate problems with its own propulsion system.