In brief
Satellite imagery reveals the successful righting of a 5,000-ton Choe Hyun-class destroyer in North Korea's harbor, using an unorthodox method involving balloons and hundreds of workers, amidst a major naval modernization effort.
North Korea faced a significant upset in its naval modernization journey when a newly constructed warship, specifically the 5,000-ton Choe Hyun-class destroyer, capsized during its launch at the end of last month. In a remarkable turn of events, engineers resorted to an innovative yet old-fashioned method to set the vessel upright, demonstrating their commitment to the orders of Kim Jong-un.With heavy machinery unavailable to lift the massive ship efficiently, experts and satellite analyses suggest a labor-intensive solution that combined balloons and manpower. Two weeks post-incident, satellite images displayed the ship restored to an upright position in the harbor of Chongjin, located on North Korea's northeast coast, approximately 580 feet from the original launch ramp.In contrast to techniques employed in developed nations, such as utilizing large cranes on barges, this approach emphasizes North Korea's resourcefulness. Expert Hong Min, associated with the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul, pointed out the differences in methods. Other prevalent techniques in maritime recovery include parbuckling, famously demonstrated during the 2013 Costa Concordia disaster in Italy.As North Korea continues its military advancements, this incident underscores the challenges the nation faces in developing its naval capabilities while also highlighting the determination of its engineers to overcome obstacles effectively.
