Pyongyang: North Korea announced it has successfully righted a warship that partially capsized during a launch ceremony last month, with the vessel now moored at the pier for further repairs.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the 5,000-ton destroyer tipped over and became partially submerged during a launch ceremony in late May in the northeastern port city of Chongjin. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered the full restoration of the warship ahead of a key party meeting scheduled for late June.
A North Korean team restored the balance of the warship in early June and safely conducted its end launching on Thursday afternoon, as reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). "The team will start the next-stage restoration after the reexamination by a group of experts into the overall hull of the destroyer," KCNA stated.
The detailed restoration work will take place at a dry dock in the northeastern port of Rajin, expected to last seven to 10 days. The South Korean military confirmed that the warship was returned to an upright position earlier this week, and North Korea is set to begin draining water from the vessel.
North Korean leader Kim witnessed the incident during the launch ceremony and described it as an intolerable "criminal act." In response to the accident, North Korea has detained several officials, including the vice director of the party's munitions industry department.
Beyond Parallel, a project of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, cited recent satellite imagery showing the warship moored in the center of the harbor with small salvage balloons attached. A large lift bag or temporary ramp was also observed on the slide slipway, indicating that the salvage operation is ongoing with continued pumping, stabilization, and refurbishment efforts.