North Korea's destroyer launch debacle highlights cracks in Kim's military push

By Global Watch and AFP | 2025-05-23

North Korea suffered a significant blow to its efforts to modernize its navy when a newly unveiled destroyer sustained significant damage during its launch ceremony -- a failure that leader Kim Jong Un condemned as a "criminal act" and that analysts view as a major military and propaganda setback.

The 5,000-ton warship, launched on May 21 at the eastern port city of Chongjin, experienced what North Korean state media described as a "serious accident," crushing part of the ship's bottom and throwing the vessel off balance.

Kim, who was present for the event, denounced the mishap as the result of "absolute carelessness" and pledged that those responsible would be punished at a forthcoming Party Central Committee meeting.

"This kind of irresponsible error cannot be tolerated," Kim said, adding that the mistakes amounted to a criminal breach of duty.

A spokesperson for South Korea's joint chiefs of staff confirmed that the ship's side-launch -- an outdated method no longer used by Seoul -- failed, leaving the vessel listing in the water.

Based on its size and visible features, South Korean officials say it is another ship of the Choe Hyon class, first revealed in April and touted by Pyongyang as its most advanced surface vessel yet.

A further sign of instability

The failed launch is especially damaging for Kim, who had promoted the destroyer as a centerpiece in his campaign to radically enhance North Korea's naval power.

The vessel had "the most powerful weapons" and would enter service early next year, he had previously claimed.

Some analysts have speculated the ship could carry nuclear-capable short-range missiles, although Pyongyang has not demonstrated the ability to miniaturize nuclear warheads for such use.

The launch debacle comes amid other signs of instability. A day after the failed launch, South Korea reported that North Korea fired multiple cruise missiles from South Hamgyong province toward the East Sea, underscoring growing regional tensions.

The military setback is a stark contrast to the image of technological progress North Korea seeks to project, especially as it deepens military ties with Russia.

The destroyer may have been developed with Russian assistance, potentially in exchange for Pyongyang supplying arms or even troops to support Moscow's war in Ukraine, say observers.

The accident occurred in Chongjin, near Russia's Vladivostok port -- a potential hub for cooperation between the two countries.

It is possible the timeline and construction process were coordinated with Russia, Ahn Chan-il, a defector and researcher with the World Institute for North Korea Studies, said.

"It appears the dock was hastily constructed, and multiple issues may have arisen during the shipbuilding process," he said, calling the accident a potential embarrassment not only for North Korean officials but also for their Russian counterparts.

Spending on military as civilians starve

Despite this highly public setback, Kim continues to push for greater military expansion.

He recently toured a nuclear submarine development site and has championed investment in both surface and underwater capabilities.

Pyongyang has also claimed to be developing underwater nuclear drones capable of triggering a "radioactive tsunami" -- a claim widely doubted by analysts.

Kim's push for extreme militarization comes at the expense of the country's civilian basic needs, such as health care and education.

While Pyongyang invests heavily in weapons, nearly 46% of North Korea's population -- about 11.8 million people -- suffer from chronic undernourishment, according to a United Nations (UN) report examining data from 2020 to 2022.

Pyongyang's outsized military budget is starving the population of essential resources, Elizabeth Salmon, the UN special rapporteur on North Korean human rights, warned earlier this year.

"The government is not adequately investing in the enjoyment of human rights of its people," she said in a February 5 report, pointing to shortages of medicine and underfunded schools.

Nevertheless, Kim continues to frame his military buildup as a defensive necessity in the face of what he calls escalating US-led aggression.

The United States and South Korea, meanwhile, have ramped up joint drills and deployed strategic assets, including nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers, to deter further North Korean provocations.