North Korea detains top officials after naval launch blunder
In North Korea, four individuals, including a close associate of Kim Jong Un, were arrested following an accident during the launch of a Choe Hyon-class destroyer. The damaged vessel is currently unfit for service.
According to "Business Insider," during the launching ceremony at the Chongjin shipyard on the country's eastern coast, the transport platform failed to move. Consequently, the ship's stern slipped and got jammed on the slipway, damaging the hull. The entire event was broadcast by North Korean public television.
Kim Jong Un described the incident as an "unforgivable crime," attributing it to "absolute negligence, irresponsibility, and an unscientific approach." An investigation into the accident was immediately initiated.
According to the South Korean newspaper "Korea JoongAng Daily," the chief engineer of the shipyard was arrested, along with the hull construction manager, administrative manager, and Ri Hyong Son.
Ri, a member of Kim Jong Un's closest entourage, serves as the deputy director of the Defense Industry Department in the Workers' Party of Korea and is a member of the Central Military Commission overseeing the army.
Expert on Kim Jong Un's decision
Michael Madden, a North Korea expert at Washington's Stimson Center, told the BBC that Kim Jong Un's reaction highlights the "high priority" the regime places on developing its navy.
He believes the accident may have occurred because officials "tried to do too many things at once," stating that "the personnel and production units were under tremendous pressure to get everything completed."
The disaster occurred just a few weeks after North Korea showcased a similar warship in another part of the country.
Let's recall that a few weeks ago, three North Korean residents were executed by firing squad following an unsuccessful attempt to escape to South Korea. Their bodies were publicly burned to intimidate the local community.
The men, including two brothers and their friend, set out from the South Hwanghae Province heading towards the south of the Korean Peninsula. The weather thwarted their plan. In the thick fog, thinking they had reached South Korea, they called for help, believing that a South Korean fishing boat was approaching. However, it turned out to be a North Korean patrol boat. The escapees were arrested.
