NKorea Detains 3 Shipyard Officials over Failed Launch of Naval Destroyer

A satellite image shows a North Korean warship covered with a blue tarp after an accident that occurred during its launch at the shipyard in Chongjin, North Korea, May 24, 2025. 2025 Planet Labs PBC/Handout via REUTERS
A satellite image shows a North Korean warship covered with a blue tarp after an accident that occurred during its launch at the shipyard in Chongjin, North Korea, May 24, 2025. 2025 Planet Labs PBC/Handout via REUTERS
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NKorea Detains 3 Shipyard Officials over Failed Launch of Naval Destroyer

A satellite image shows a North Korean warship covered with a blue tarp after an accident that occurred during its launch at the shipyard in Chongjin, North Korea, May 24, 2025. 2025 Planet Labs PBC/Handout via REUTERS
A satellite image shows a North Korean warship covered with a blue tarp after an accident that occurred during its launch at the shipyard in Chongjin, North Korea, May 24, 2025. 2025 Planet Labs PBC/Handout via REUTERS

North Korea authorities have detained three shipyard officials over the recent failed launch of a naval destroyer, an incident that leader Kim Jong Un said was caused by criminal negligence, state media said Sunday.

The 5,000-ton-class destroyer was damaged Wednesday when a transport cradle on the ship’s stern detached early during a launch ceremony attended by Kim at the northeastern port of Chongjin. Satellite imagery on the site showed the vessel lying on its side and draped in blue covers, with parts of the ship submerged.

The vessel is North Korea’s second known destroyer. The failed launch was subsequently an embarrassment to Kim, who is eager to build greater naval forces to deal with what he calls US-led military threats.

North Korea launched its first destroyer, also a 5,000-ton-class ship, with massive fanfare last month. The ship is North Korea's largest and most advanced warship and state media reported it is designed to carry various weapons including nuclear missiles.

Law enforcement authorities detained the chief engineer, head of the hull construction workshop and deputy manager for administrative affairs at Chongjin Shipyard, who they said were responsible for Wednesday's failed launch, the official Korean Central News Agency said, according to The Associated Press.

Hong Kil Ho, the shipyard manager, also was summoned for questioning, KCNA previously reported.

Kim blamed military officials, scientists and shipyard operators for what he called a “criminal act caused by absolute carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism.”

In an instruction to investigators Thursday, North Korea’s powerful Central Miliary Commission echoed Kim’s position, saying those responsible “can never evade their responsibility for the crime.”

North Korea denied the warship suffered major damage, saying the hull on the starboard side was scratched and some seawater flowed into the stern section.

North Korea said Friday it needed about 10 days to make repairs, but many outside observers said the country likely understated the damage.



Russian President Dismisses Transport Minister

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at the BRICS summit in Rio via videoconference at the Kremlin in Moscow, Sunday, July 6, 2025. (Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at the BRICS summit in Rio via videoconference at the Kremlin in Moscow, Sunday, July 6, 2025. (Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
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Russian President Dismisses Transport Minister

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at the BRICS summit in Rio via videoconference at the Kremlin in Moscow, Sunday, July 6, 2025. (Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at the BRICS summit in Rio via videoconference at the Kremlin in Moscow, Sunday, July 6, 2025. (Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin fired his transport minister on Monday, according to a presidential decree, removing Roman Starovoit from his post after just over a year in the job.

According to Reuters, no reason was given for Starovoit's unexpected dismissal. He was appointed transport minister in May 2024 after spending almost five years as governor of Russia's western Kursk region.

A few months after vacating that role, Ukrainian troops spilled over the border into Kursk as Kyiv launched its biggest incursion into Russian territory since the start of the war in 2022.

Starovoit's predecessor as transport minister, Vitaly Savelyev, became a deputy prime minister. According to the Vedomosti daily newspaper, Starovoit's replacement could be his deputy minister Andrei Nikitin, who was formerly governor of the Novgorod Region.

Prior to serving as a regional governor, Starovoit had worked in the transport sector, leading Russia's federal roads agency Rosavtodor for six years.