North Korea launches probe into warship launch accident

SEOUL: North Korea has begun an investigation into an accident that occurred during the launch of a new warship this week, state media said on Friday, assessing the damage as “not serious”.

North Korea said on Thursday that “a serious accident occurred” at the Wednesday launch ceremony for the newly built 5,000-ton naval destroyer, in which sections of the bottom of the vessel were crushed -- with leader Kim Jong Un calling the mishap a “criminal act”.

South Korea´s military said US and Seoul intelligence authorities assessed that North Korea´s “side-launch attempt” of the ship failed, and the vessel was left listing in the water. The North´s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), however, said Friday that an “underwater and internal inspection of the warship confirmed that, unlike the initial announcement, there were no holes made at the warship´s bottom”.

“The hull starboard was scratched and a certain amount of seawater flowed into the stern section through the rescue channel,” according to KCNA. The extent of damage to the vessel was “not serious”, it said, adding it was “necessary to make clear the cause of the accident”.