North Korea’s damaged destroyer has arrived at a shipyard in the northeast to begin repairs ahead of leader Kim Jong Un’s deadline for restoration later this month, according to NK Pro analysis of satellite imagery.

The warship, which was damaged when it partially capsized at a launching ceremony at Chongjin Shipyard on May 21, moved into the dry dock at the Rajin Shipyard on the morning of Sunday, June 8, Planet Labs imagery shows.

This follows a state media report last Friday declaring intentions to carry out “detailed recovery work” at the Rajin Shipyard over “7-10 days” — suggesting it’s scheduled to leave there between June 15 and 18.

Kim said immediately after the disaster that it caused the nation’s “dignity and self-respect” to “collapse.” He demanded the restoration work be “completed unconditionally” before a “late June” party plenum convenes to discuss the issue.

The Rajin Shipyard dry dock is located next to piers at Rason Port that have hosted Russia-DPRK cargo vessel-based weapons trade since late 2023. NK Pro analysis of the latest imagery suggests a suspected Russian ship last visited as recently as June 1.

Restoration of the damaged warship could accordingly move faster if it involves replacing Russia-sourced electronics or weaponry damaged in the capsizing. 

There is not yet irrefutable evidence of such Russian components, but the first Choe Hyon-class destroyer launched on the west coast in April featured a “close copy” of a Russian Pantsir-ME heavy close-in-weapons-system (CIWS).

The second Choe Hyon-class warship last appeared at the Chongjin Shipyard moored at the north end of the bay just before noon on Friday, June 6. It stood half submerged on its starboard side for around 11 days before being raised between May 31 and 2.

It’s unclear if the 5,000-ton destroyer sailed up to Rason under its own power or if it had help making the 50-mile (80-km) journey between June 6 and 8. 

The ship appeared with three small tugboats around it outside the Rajin Shipyard dry dock in a high-resolution image taken at 9:37 a.m. KST on Sunday, before appearing inside the dry dock in a medium-resolution shot taken at 11:27 a.m.

Planet Labs imagery also reveals that workers began fixing up facilities at the dry dock between May 23 and 28, and that the work only appeared to wrap up between June 5 and 8.

It’s not yet clear if another major launching ceremony will take place in Rason or Chongjin after the restoration is completed. Authorities cleaned up the Chongjin Shipyard and built a stage and a large observation platform building for Kim ahead of the May 21 ceremony, but these facilities have since been removed.

Edited by Alannah Hill