Overview

• North Korea’s 5,000-ton flagship destroyer suffered hull damage on May 21 when its stern slid prematurely into the water during a launch ceremony.
• Satellite images since May 23 reveal more than a dozen white, tail-finned aerostat balloons positioned alongside the half-submerged vessel to curb flooding and obscure drone surveillance.
• Kim Jong Un labeled the launch mishap a “criminal act,” ordered a rapid repair ahead of a late-June party plenary and detained four officials including the shipyard’s chief engineer.
• Defense analysts question North Korea’s 10-day repair timeline and estimate that complex hull damage and saltwater intrusion could extend the salvage to six months.
• Salvage experts say the destroyer’s position—partly in water and partly on land—raises the risk of keel twisting and may force crews to dismantle sections for removal.