North Korea’s 5,000-Ton Choe Hyon-Class Destroyer Sinks During Inauguration

North Korea's highly anticipated naval advancement turned into a national embarrassment as the new Choe Hyon-class destroyer capsized during its launch ceremony in front of Kim Jong Un. Designed as a symbol of rising maritime strength, the 5,000-ton warship never made it to sea. Reports suggest a critical failure in the launch mechanism caused the vessel to tip and sink.

Kim has condemned the incident as a “criminal act” and is reportedly furious with former Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, blaming Russian naval technology for the catastrophic failure.