Quick Take: North Korean Warship Has Finally Launched

North Korea’s capsized second Choe Hyon Class destroyer was finally launched on Thursday after it was returned to an upright position earlier this week. Commercial satellite imagery from June 5 shows the vessel floating in the harbor at Chongjin Port. 

The ship was launched Thursday afternoon. An image taken at 11:32 AM KST shows the ship upright with its bow still stationed on the quay. A subsequent image taken just after 3 PM KST shows the ship floating in the harbor.

Many barrage balloons that were used to manually right the ship appear to still be attached to the vessel, possibly to stabilize it in an upright position or as insurance against further accidents. 

North Korean state media has yet to report on the launch. 

The ship fell sideways into the water on May 21 following a failed side launch attempt, when a launching mechanism appeared to jam, leaving the bow of the destroyer still attached. Kim Jong Un was present at the time of the incident and instructed workers to repair the ship before this month’s Plenary Meeting of the WPK Central Committee. Earlier this week, 38 North reported that the ship had been repositioned upright.