North Korea has relocated a damaged warship to a port close to the Russian border, raising suspicions among analysts regarding Russia’s potential involvement in its repair. The 5,000-tonne destroyer, which is currently unnamed, was spotted in a drydock at the port of Rajin through satellite images from Maxar Technologies. Rajin, situated in North Korea’s Rason special economic zone, although not as large as the shipyard in Chongjin, possesses facilities adequate for minor repairs and maintenance.
Experts suggest that Rajin’s location makes it a significant site for enhancing North Korea’s economic and military links with Moscow. A report by the Modern War Institute at West Point emphasises the Rason zone as crucial for North Korea-Russia cooperation, particularly implicating it in the arms shipments sent from North Korea to aid Russian efforts in Ukraine.
The vessel suffered damage during its launch on May 21 when it became stuck — the stern entered the water while the bow remained on land, resulting in the ship tipping over. Kim Jong-un, who was present for the launch, has expressed that repairing the warship is a matter of national honour, ordering that the repairs be completed by a late-June ruling Workers’ Party meeting.
North Korean state media reported that the repair process at the Rajin drydock would take between seven to ten days. However, retired South Korean Admiral Kim Duk-ki stated that the timeframe would depend on the extent of the damage. It has been suggested that the sonar and depth finders, located at the bow, may have been damaged in the mishap, necessitating foreign assistance for repairs. This belief arises from North Korea’s perceived lack of capabilities in sonar technology, with speculations that the technology could have been imported from China or Russia.
Nonetheless, a South Korean lawmaker presented an alternative perspective, indicating that their military assessed the damage to the sonar systems as unlikely. Their evaluation suggested that the primary issue was the flooding of the ship rather than significant external damage. Experts highlighted that repair efforts would need to include purging the ship of seawater and salt from internal spaces and machinery.
There is a possibility of Russian assistance in the repair process, although verifying whether this includes major equipment transfer or merely the involvement of engineers remains a challenge. Reports indicate that North Korea has supplied millions of munitions to Russia over the past year, in return, Russia has provided various advanced weapon technologies and essential resources to North Korea. The implications of this relationship could have broader consequences for regional security and military dynamics.