North Korea detains 3 officials for destroyer launch accident

ISTANBUL

North Korean authorities detained three senior officials from the Cheongjin Shipyard in connection with a recent destroyer launch accident, according to a statement Sunday by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

KCNA said no new damage to the warship was identified and rehabilitation efforts continue as planned.

Based on confirmed findings, authorities have detained three key personnel -- Kang Jong Chol, chief engineer; Han Kyong Hak, head of the hull construction workshop and Kim Yong Hak, deputy manager for administrative affairs, for further legal investigation.

The report did not specify the cause of the accident but said those detained individuals were held accountable for the incident.

The launch of a newly built 5,000-ton destroyer failed in the eastern port city of Chongjin, as its stern slid ahead of the bow, causing structural damage and preventing the vessel from fully leaving the shipway.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Thursday also condemned the accident as a “criminal act” stemming from “absolute carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism," after the launch flop.