Satellite image of North Korea’s new destroyer docked at Rajin dry dock, shared via Jake Epstein’s X account.
On Monday, it was confirmed that a new 5,000-ton North Korean destroyer—previously grounded during its launch at Chongjin Shipyard on May 21—had been relocated to a dry dock in nearby Rajin Port.
Military journalist Jake Epstein posted a satellite image of the scene on his X (formerly Twitter) account. The image, captured by commercial provider MAXAR Technologies, shows the damaged vessel now moored at Rajin, approximately 70 kilometers north of Chongjin, where the mishap originally occurred.
Although no major exterior damage is visible in the released image, experts caution that the ship’s internal systems and propulsion units may have sustained serious harm. If key operational functions were compromised, the recovery could be lengthy and complex.
North Korea’s state-run newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported on June 6 that precise repair efforts were underway at Rajin and estimated the process would take about 7 to 10 days. Leader Kim Jong Un reportedly ordered the restoration to be completed before the upcoming Workers’ Party plenary session set for late June, though an exact date has not been announced.