North Korea says it has successfully refloated a new destroyer that capsized after being launched last month. North Korean state media reports that the damaged ship will be moved to a dry dock at another shipyard for repairs.
"After restoring the destroyer's balance in early June, the team anchored it to the pier, safely carrying out its final launch on Thursday afternoon," said a report from the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), according to A2 CNN.
A satellite photo taken by Planet Labs on June 5 showed the damaged ship, floating in the water far from the pier where the disastrous launch occurred.
The 5,000-ton destroyer is the country's newest warship and was meant to be a triumph of North Korea's ambitious naval modernization efforts, writes A2 CNN.
But a malfunction in the launching mechanism on May 21 caused the ship's stern to slide prematurely into the water, crushing parts of the hull and leaving the bow stuck in the ship's path, KCNA reported at the time. A day later, state media reported that the damage was not as bad as initially thought.
Meanwhile, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who witnessed the failed launch in the northeastern city of Chongjin, called it a "criminal act" and the government quickly said it had arrested four people it claims are responsible for the launch accident, CNN reports.
Kim ordered officials to quickly repair the still-unnamed ship before a Workers' Party plenary session in late June, calling it a matter of national honor. KCNA reported Friday that Kim's goal will be achieved.
(A2 Televizion)
A2 CNN Livestream
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