The destroyer, which capsized last month during a launch ceremony, didn’t leave the shipyard’s dry dock, leaving doubts over whether it is operational.

North Korea has successfully relaunched its second destroyer after the vessel was damaged during a failed launch in May. Leader Kim Jong-un, speaking a day before the second ceremony, pledged to build two new warships each year to counter perceived external threats.

During the launch ceremony the previous day, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to rapidly strengthen the country's navy by building two destroyers per year to deter aggression, with the third and fourth ships of the new Choe Hyon class planned for 2026.