Satellite images show North Korea's efforts to rescue stricken destroyer

North Korea has given a very vague timeline for repairing and restoring the damaged 5,000-ton destroyer, according to researcher Jennifer Jun.

During the launching event at the northeastern North Korean port of Chongjin on May 21, the new 5,000-ton destroyer lost balance while being launched after a transport skid at the stern slipped ahead of schedule and got stuck. As a result, some parts of the ship's bottom were crushed, causing the destroyer to lose balance. Photo: @2025 Maxar Technologies.

A day after a surprise accident during a launching ceremony attended by leader Kim Jong Un, the North Korean government has been urgently trying to repair this 5,000-ton destroyer. Photo: @2025 Maxar Technologies.

New satellite imagery obtained by The War Zone shows the unnamed ship capsized on its side, with its stern partially submerged. The hull is still covered in a blue tarpaulin, but two additional steel cables are now connecting the hull to the dock. Photo: @2025 Maxar Technologies.

“These two steel cables are used to temporarily anchor the ship, providing a stable tension to prevent any further displacement of the hull, ensuring the safety of the entire structure,” Jennifer Jun, a researcher specializing in imagery analysis at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), told The War Zone. Photo: @2025 Maxar Technologies.

Meanwhile, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that: "Experts estimate that it will take two or three days to stabilize the warship by pumping out seawater from the flooded compartment and pushing the bow off the slide, and about 10 days to restore the side of the ship." Photo: @2025 Maxar Technologies.

North Korean officials also expressed optimism about the condition of the ship. They said that a detailed underwater and internal inspection of the warship showed that, unlike initial reports, no holes had been made in the bottom of the warship, the starboard side of the hull was scratched, and a certain amount of seawater had flowed into the stern. They also said that the damage to the warship was not serious. Photo: @2025 Maxar Technologies.

The War Zone has not been able to independently verify the claims made by North Korean officials about the condition of the ship, although it is no surprise that they have tried to downplay the extent of the damage following the incident. Photo: @Roger.

Jennifer Jun, a research fellow specializing in imagery analysis at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), also questioned the timeline for the ship's recovery that North Korea gave. Photo: @Roger.

“While it is too early to say for sure without being on site, I am somewhat skeptical of the 10-day estimate, given the heavy listing and partial sinking of the ship, and the likely extensive damage to the slipway infrastructure. Even if North Korea manages to return the ship to normal in ‘about 10 days’, I suspect that restoring the ship to its original condition will take much longer,” Jennifer Jun shared. Photo: @Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

Now that satellite imagery is available, it will be difficult for North Korea to hide the ship’s physical condition or the progress of its recovery efforts, even with such bizarre efforts as covering it with a green tarp. The War Zone will continue to closely monitor developments on this matter. Photo: @2025 Maxar Technologies.

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/anh-ve-tinh-cho-thay-trieu-tien-no-luc-cuu-khu-truc-gap-nan-post1543701.html