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Miami Herald
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Purged North Korean Official Reappears in State Media
The former commander of North Korea's navy has reemerged in state media just weeks after being scrubbed from official photographs over the botched launch of a warship in May. The ex-commander, Kim Myong Sik, appeared alongside North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in a documentary that aired on state television over the weekend, according to South Korea's Yonhap News Agency. The news unfolded as North Korea presses forward with upgrades to the country's military forces. These efforts extend to North Korea's modest navy, with Kim previously calling for the addition of nuclear-capable warships. North Korea analysts have speculated that the public management of the aftermath of the botched launch and how officials were disciplined—or, in Kim Myong Sik's case, at least partially rehabilitated—is closely tied to Kim Jong Un's attempts to portray an image of strong leadership and control over the military modernization efforts. The documentary marked Kim Myong Sik's first public appearance since his name and image were deleted from earlier broadcasts and he was confirmed removed from the top naval post following a May 21 incident, which left a new destroyer damaged and partially submerged. Kim Jong Un was infuriated by the debacle, labeling it "a serious accident and criminal act caused by sheer carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism which should never occur and could not be tolerated," the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported. Subsequently, Kim Myong Sik and Hong Gil Ho, then manager of Chongjin Shipyard, were erased from photos of earlier inspection visits shown by Korean Central Television in mid-June. This type of removal from official imagery had not occurred since the 2013 execution of Jang Song Thaek, the leader's uncle and a high-ranking official. The fate of the ousted navy chief drew speculation from analysts, especially after state media said he had been replaced by Park Kwang Seop. Both Kim Myong Sik and Hong were "conspicuously absent" from the destroyer's relaunch ceremony. The former commander's presence in the documentary, where he appeared at official events with Kim Jong Un, contrasts sharply with his earlier erasure from state coverage. Kim Myong Sik's public reappearance is being viewed by analysts as a sign Kim's anger has subsided or as a tactical effort to maintain continuity among the military's upper ranks. The Korean Central News Agency previously wrote of the ship incident: "Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un made a stern assessment, saying that it was a serious accident and criminal act caused by sheer carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism which should never occur and could not be tolerated." 38 North, a North Korea-focused program of the Stimson Center think tank, wrote in June: "It may be some time before the North Korean navy becomes a credible threat to the region, but North Korea's latest feat—successfully refloating a 5,000-tonne destroyer after a failed launch attempt in a matter of just 15 days—only reminds us that the country tends sooner or later to achieve in at least some form what it sets out to do." The destroyer at the center of the accident is reportedly undergoing repairs at the Rajin Dockyard. The timeline for the warship's entry into service, or for any forthcoming statements about the ultimate fate of Kim Myong Sik or other individuals involved, has not been announced. North Korean media have not clarified whether Kim Myong Sik will return to a senior leadership post, continue to face internal sanctions, or serve in another capacity inside the regime. Related Articles Question for the Experts: If the Iranians Can't Make a Nuke, Can They Buy One? | OpinionUS Citizen Charged in North Korean IT Employment SchemeNorth Korea Ignores Trump's OverturesAmericans Detained After Trying to Send Over 1,000 Bibles to North Korea 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Did Kim Jong-Un remove two officials from a photo?
NK News reported that the photo in left was released in March and the other photo was released in June. A before-and-after photo of a gathering around North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has sparked fear and speculation that Kim has probably executed two senior officials of the administration, as they are nowhere to be found in a photo. NK News reported that Admiral Kim Myong Sil and Hong Kil Ho, who operated Chongjin Shipyard, were expunged from the North Korean photographic record on orders of Kim. These two were the main people who were blamed for Kim's inability to launch a naval destroyer last month. In the new version of the same photo, there is now a conspicuously empty space where they stood. The warship became unbalanced as it was lowered into the water at the port of Chongjin, causing it to slide into the water — crushing and wrecking parts of the hull and leaving the bow stuck on the shipway, Korean Central News Agency reported at the time. Several officials were arrested at the shipyard directly after the shameful display, with experts believing Ho was one of at least four who faced repercussions. Admiral Sil has been a top navy commander in the isolated nation since Kim took power in 2011 but he might not have escaped Kim's wrath. 'If Kim Myong Sik fell on his sword, he may have avoided a public execution and saved his family and close associates from imprisonment,' Michael Madden, founder of NK Leadership Watch, told The Sun. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo 'On the other hand, if KJU is in a message-sending mood, then they may gather other top officials in the military and defense industry to watch,' Madden added. In the backdrop of the recent tension in the Middle-East, North Korea has condemned Israel's air strikes on Iran and called Israel a "cancer-like" entity in threatening peace in West Asia.
New York Post
19-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Kim Jong Un erases two officials from months-old state photos, prompting fears they were executed over botched warship launch: report
North Korea's despotic ruler Kim Jong Un appeared to have a top navy commander and another senior official erased from months-old official state photos following the nation's high-profile failed ship launch — fueling speculation that they were executed, according to a report. Admr. Kim Myong Sil and Hong Kil Ho, who operate Chongjin Shipyard, were expunged from the North Korean photographic record on orders of Kim — who blames them for the hermit kingdom's inability to launch a naval destroyer last month, NK News reported. 3 The original image released by North Korean state media that showed Admr. Myong Sil and Hong Kil Ho standing an arm's distance from hermit kingdom leader Kim Jong Un. KCTV The two North Korean honchos were originally pictured on the left side of the photo released by North Korean state media, near Kim. In the edited photos released by North Korean state media, there is now a conspicuously empty space where Myong Sil and Kil Ho once stood. The move was reminiscent of the Soviet Union's brutal dictator Joseph Stalin, who made common practice of erasing political adversaries from notable pics, including the infamously overt erasure of Nikolai Yezhov. 3 In freshly edited photos released by North Korean state media, Myong Sil and Kil Ho are absent. KCTV Kil Ho was blamed by the portly dictator and state media for the catastrophic failure to launch a 5,000-ton naval destroyer into the Sea of Japan on May 21. The warship became unbalanced as it was lowered into the water at the port of Chongjin, causing it to slide into the water — crushing and wrecking parts of the hull and leaving the bow stuck on the shipway, Korean Central News Agency reported at the time. Several officials were arrested at the shipyard directly after the shameful display, with experts believing Ho was one of at least four who faced repercussions, The Sun reported, citing experts. 3 The 5,000-ton naval destroyer slid into the water and caused major hull damage on May 21, but was successfully relaunched on Saturday. DigitalGlobe/Getty Images Admr. Sil has been a top navy commander in the isolated nation since Kim took power in 2011 —- but that is not likely to have saved him from the tyrant's bloodlust. 'If Kim Myong Sik fell on his sword, he may have avoided a public execution and saved his family and close associates from imprisonment,' Michael Madden, founder of NK Leadership Watch, told The Sun. 'On the other hand, if KJU is in a message-sending mood, then they may gather other top officials in the military and defense industry to watch,' Madden added. North Korea successfully launched the massive destroyer on Saturday in what state media described as 'convincing proof of the rapid transformation of [the North Korean] Navy.'
Fox News
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
North Korea relaunches warship that suffered embarrassing failure during initial launch
North Korea has repaired and relaunched their 5,000-ton warship after a botched launch in May, according to North Korean state media. The second warship was once again upright in the water, according to the North Korean news agency KCNA. The communist country's leader, Kim Jong Un, was in attendance to give a speech and spoke about the failed launch. "Of course, we felt panic-stricken in front of the unexpected and ridiculous accident caused while launching this destroyer in Chongjin last month," Kim said. Kim did not take the accident lightly, going as far as to call it a criminal act, according to KCNA. "We judged the accident not as a simple mistake but as a never-to-be-forgiven, serious criminal act that lowered the dignity and self-respect of our state in a moment, and investigated the root cause of the accident in a comprehensive way," Kim said. In fact, the chief engineer of the Chongjin Shipyard, along with others, were arrested according KCNA. However, this setback hasn't seemed to slow down Kim's ambitions as he promised more warships to come. "Warships of a new generation are to be launched one after another in the coming years, and they will form the backbone of our maritime defense forces," Kim said. The ship, which Kim has reportedly named "Kang Kon," was moved to the Rajin shipyard after being set up right, according to the Wall Street Journal. The total extent of the damage to the ship is unknown as it never left the dry dock. Satellite images previously released by South Korea had shown the ship lying on its side. Reported previously by KCNA, the "Kang Kon" had slipped off of its ramp and became stuck. The flatcar failed to move alongside the ship, throwing it off balance and crushing parts of the ship's bottom. This caused the massive warship's stern to slide down the launch slipway, making the ship's bow section unable to leave the ramp, according to KNCA. The "Kang Kon" was the second naval destroyer launched within a month after Kim attended the successful launch of another 5,000-ton destroyer from Nampo, a port on the west coast of North Korea. Fox News Digital's Michael Dorgan and Landon Mion contributed to this story.
CNN
26-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
North Korea arrests four over failed warship launch as images show vessel shielded from prying eyes
North Korea has arrested four people it claims bear responsibility for a launch accident last week that left leader Kim Jong Un's newest warship lying on its side and partially submerged in a shipyard, state-run media has reported. The four people detained included Ri Hyong Son, vice department director of the Munitions Industry Department of the Party Central Committee, 'who was greatly responsible for the occurrence of the serious accident,' a report from the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Monday said. On Sunday, KCNA said three others had been detained: Kang Jong Chol, chief engineer of the Chongjin Shipyard where the accident occurred, Han Kyong Hak, head of the hull construction workshop, and Kim Yong Hak, deputy manager for administrative affairs. Kim last week called the botched launch, which he witnessed, 'a criminal act' and vowed to punish those responsible. Last Wednesday's accident resulted from a malfunction in the launch mechanism that caused the stern of the as-yet unnamed 5,000-ton destroyer to slide prematurely into the water, crushing parts of the hull and leaving the bow stranded on the shipway, KCNA reported on Thursday in a rare admission of fault from an otherwise highly secretive state. State media reported on Friday that the damage to the warship was less than North Korea's initial estimate, saying there were no holes in the hull, although it was scratched along the starboard side. It also said 'a certain amount of seawater flowed into the stern section.' Repairs could take about 10 days, the report said. Though analysts are skeptical. Kim had ordered the destroyer to be restored before the late June plenary session of the ruling Workers' Party, calling the matter one of national honor. Satellite imagery shows most of the warship covered in blue tarps at the launch site, making it difficult for experts to determine the full extent of the damage it suffered. But analyst Carl Schuster, a former US Navy captain, said repair work could take up to six months, well beyond Kim's June target. 'If the hull damage extends across the ship's port side covered by the tarp, then we are looking at four to six months of repair work,' he said. Repairs could be complicated depending on the amount of sea water that entered the warship, according to Schuster. The interior of the ship would need to be thoroughly flushed with fresh water and then dried to prevent 'salt crust' from forming on metal surfaces, he said. 'If it gets into joints and things, then it becomes destructive,' Schuster said. But the flushing work cannot begin until the ship is righted and any holes in the hull are patched, he said. KCNA reported Monday that 'the work for completely restoring the balance of the warship is being actively conducted,' but it did not give a timeline. Satellite images from Maxar Technologies taken Sunday and supplied to CNN showed the ship still on its side, still mostly covered in blue tarps as smaller boats swarmed around it. South Korean lawmaker and defense analyst Yu Yong-weon said last week that rushing the launch of the ship likely led to the problems encountered on Wednesday and warned hasty repairs could cause more problems down the line. Schuster echoed that thinking, saying optics may be more important than military value to the Kim regime. 'If Kim Jong Un says, 'I want that ship fitted out in six months,' they'll take shortcuts to make it happen. And usually when you do that you wind up with a ship that's not, shall we say optimal for operations? But it meets the propaganda criteria.' CNN's Yoonjung Seo and Gawon Bae contributed to this report.
