North Korea says it has raised a capsized destroyer upright as it continues repair

North Korea repairs capsized destroyer, crucial asset for Kim's military, amid concerns over Russian assistance and nuclear capabilities.

North Korea on Saturday (June 6, 2025) said it had righted a capsized destroyer and moored it at a pier in the northeastern port of Chongjin as it continues to repair the new warship leader Kim Jong Un has described as a significant asset for his nuclear-armed military.

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The report by North Korean state media aligned with South Korean military assessments and recent commercial satellite images, which indicated that the ship was in an upright position and floating in the harbour, according to the North Korea-focused 38North website.

North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said experts will closely examine the ship’s hull before beginning the next phase of restoration, which will take place at a dry dock at the neighbouring port of Rajin and is expected to last seven to 10 days.

Jo Chun Ryong, a senior official from the ruling Workers’ Party, told the agency that the “perfect restoration of the destroyer will be completed without fail” before a major party congress in late June – a deadline set by Mr. Kim.

Outside experts say it remains unclear how severely the 5,000-ton-class destroyer was damaged during a botched launching ceremony in late May, which triggered a furious response from Mr. Kim, who called the failure a “criminal act caused by absolute carelessness, irresponsibility, and unscientific empiricism.”

North Korean law enforcement authorities have detained at least four officials over the incident, including the vice director of the Workers’ Party’s munitions industry department, according to state media. The North’s main military committee said those responsible would be held accountable for their “unpardonable criminal act.”