North Korea has detained three people over an accident that occurred during the launch of a new warship this past week, state media reported early on Sunday.
Pyongyang has said that “a serious accident occurred” at Wednesday’s launch ceremony in the eastern port city of Chongjin for a newly built 5,000-tonne naval destroyer, in which sections of the bottom of the vessel were crushed.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called the mishap a “criminal act caused by absolute carelessness”.
Those detained are Kang Jong-chol, the chief engineer at the Chongjin shipyard; Han Kyong-hak, head of the hull construction workshop; and Kim Yong-hak, deputy manager for administrative affairs, the Korean Central News Agency reported.
The KCNA report said the three were “responsible for the accident”.
On Friday, KCNA reported that shipyard manager Hong Kil-ho had been summoned by law enforcement.
