00:00North Korea has detained four officials after the failed launch of a naval destroyer last Wednesday in the port of Chongqing.
00:07Leader Kim Yong-un was reportedly furious, blaming criminal negligence as the reason of the accident that caused the warship to topple and partially submerge.
00:16State media named Ri Hyeong-sun a senior munitions official among those detained, along with the chief engineer and two other shipyard personnel.
00:24Satellite images showed the vessel covered in blue tarpaulins with parts underwater, highlighting the scale of the mishap.
00:32It is rare for Pyongyang to admit military failures or punish officials publicly, a sign of Kim's determination to modernize the Navy.
00:39The failed launch followed the successful debut of North Korea's first naval destroyer last month, which Kim had hailed as a breakthrough.
00:46South Korean officials believe the advanced warship named the Chuh-hyeon was likely built with Russian assistance and is capable of carrying nuclear missiles.
00:56Despite the public detention, North Korea claims the damage is minor and says repairs will take just 10 days, but experts suggest the event of the damage is being downplayed.
