Unusually Rapid Relaunch
Concerns Raised Over Full Functionality
North Korea has relaunched its new 5,000-ton-class multipurpose destroyer after repairing it following its capsizing and grounding during a launching ceremony last month.
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on June 13, North Korea held a launching ceremony for the 5,000-ton-class destroyer at the Najin Shipyard in North Hamgyong Province the previous day, with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in attendance. It has been 22 days since the ship capsized and ran aground at the Chongjin Shipyard on May 21, and just over a week since the North announced it had righted the vessel.
The agency reported that, under orders from the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party, the vessel has been designated as the Choehyeon-class, with a displacement of 5,000 tons, and has been named "Gang Geon-ho." Gang Geon was the first Chief of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army and was killed in action during the Korean War.
Regarding the previous accident at the launching ceremony, Kim Jong-un stated, "It was an utterly unacceptable and grave criminal act that instantly damaged the dignity and pride of the state." However, he also remarked, "In some ways, I think it may have been a necessary process. I believe we have accumulated a truly significant lesson from this."
He further commented on the launching of the Gang Geon-ho, saying, "Our vast shipbuilding plans aimed at building a world-class naval force are being carried out with the utmost precision and speed. This is not only because our resolve is firm, but also because we have secured robust capabilities and advanced technological prowess to practically guarantee its realization."
Kim Jong-un also revealed plans to further expand the destroyer fleet. He stated, "We will deploy two destroyers of the Choehyeon-class or higher every year to operational waters," and added, "Recently, the Central Military Commission officially approved a plan to build two additional 5,000-ton-class destroyers next year." This signals North Korea's intention to rapidly modernize its naval power, which has lagged behind compared to ours.
Meanwhile, there is much speculation regarding the Gang Geon-ho, which was relaunched at an unusually rapid pace just three weeks after the accident. Some have commented, "The United States should leave naval reconstruction to North Korea," and, "This is shipbuilding at the speed of China."
Within and outside the military, some suggest that since Kim Jong-un ordered the repairs to be completed before the Workers' Party plenary meeting scheduled for the end of this month, the process was rushed, raising concerns that the ship may not be fully functional despite its appearance. A military official stated, "Typically, it takes two to three years to build a warship domestically, and nearly a year to complete its final operational deployment after various tests. The North claims to have built this vessel in less than a year and a half, and considering it suffered damage and flooding in the previous accident, there are doubts as to whether it can actually demonstrate combat capability."
Um Hyo-sik, Secretary General of the Korea Defense and Security Forum, said, "Although Kim Jong-un gave the order, the fact that the launching ceremony was held in just three weeks demonstrates that the capability of North Korean shipyards is considerably higher than expected." However, he added, "Since the interior suffered flooding and other damage, it is necessary to continue monitoring the situation despite the ship's outward appearance."
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