Kim Jong Un reportedly flew into a rage this week following a troubled launch of North Korea’s new 5,000-ton naval destroyer.

The launch, held at the port of Chongjin, was intended as a display of the nation’s military progress, but sources say it became an embarrassing incident for Kim when the vessel slid off a ramp and became lodged, according to state media reports.

KCNA, the North Korean news agency, indicated that the ship became unbalanced when the flatcar failed to move in sync with the ship, resulting in damage to the ship’s underside. The stern reportedly slid down the launch slipway while the bow remained on the ramp.

The full extent of the damage remains unclear, and there is no information regarding potential injuries.

North Korea did not release any photographs from the scene; however, satellite imagery released by South Korea on Thursday appears to show the ship lying on its side in the water post-launch failure.

KCNA reported that Kim, who attended Wednesday’s ceremony, blamed military officials, scientists, and shipyard workers for what he described as a “serious accident and criminal act” stemming from “absolute carelessness, irresponsibility, and unscientific empiricism.”

Kim cautioned that the “irresponsibility of the relevant officials” would be subject to investigation at a Workers’ Party meeting scheduled for late June.

He emphasized that restoring the destroyer before the meeting was directly tied to the nation’s prestige and demanded the restoration be completed without fail.

Moon Keun-sik, a naval expert and professor at Seoul’s Hanyang University, suggested that despite the embarrassment, Kim still chose to publicly acknowledge the mishap.

He stated that the reason North Korea disclosed the incident, despite it being shameful, is to demonstrate its commitment to accelerating the modernization of its naval forces and to express confidence in its eventual shipbuilding capabilities.

Moon speculated that the incident likely occurred because North Korean workers lack experience with such large warships and were pressured to launch it quickly.

This was the second naval destroyer launched by North Korea within a month. Kim previously attended the successful launch of another 5,000-ton destroyer from Nampo, a port on North Korea’s west coast. Kim observed missiles being fired from that ship, which experts believe was constructed using Russian technology.

Experts suggest that both vessels are likely designed to carry weapon systems, including nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles.

A report from the 38 North website, which focuses on North Korea, indicated last week that the destroyer in Chongjin was being prepared for a sideways launch from the quay, a method rarely used in North Korea. The report noted that the destroyer launched in Nampo, conversely, utilized a floating dry dock.

Kim has portrayed the arms buildup as a reaction to perceived threats from the U.S. and South Korea, who have increased joint military exercises in response to North Korea’s advancing nuclear program.

In March, Kim supervised tests of new strategic weapons and called for increased production. He was also seen with aides near what appeared to be an unmanned surveillance aircraft, resembling the U.S. RQ-4 Global Hawk, parked on the tarmac.

Other images showed a fixed-wing drone targeting a tank-shaped target before exploding.

Kim has stated that unmanned control and automation must be top priorities in modern arms development.

Kim was also seen walking to a large four-engine aircraft with a radar dome on its fuselage. Analysts have previously reported that North Korea was converting Russian-made Il-76 cargo aircraft for an early-warning role to supplement its land-based radar systems, which can be limited by the peninsula’s mountainous terrain, according to a September report by London’s International Institute for Strategic Studies.

North Korea also announced this year that it possesses a super-large warhead, a weapon system that could pose a significant security risk to South Korea and the U.S.

Meanwhile, North Korea has reportedly sent between 11,000 and 15,000 military personnel to fight alongside Russia in Ukraine, marking its first major involvement in a large-scale conflict since the Korean War.

The South Korean military estimates that approximately 4,700 of these personnel have been killed or wounded.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.