SEOUL, May 22 (UPI) -- A 5,000-ton North Korean destroyer suffered a "serious accident" during a launch ceremony, state media reported Thursday, with leader Kim Jong Un calling it a "criminal act" and warning of consequences.
The accident took place Wednesday at the Chongjin Shipyard on the country's east coast, the official Korean Central News Agency said.
Due to "inexperienced command and operational carelessness," a malfunction in the launch mechanism caused the ship's stern to prematurely slide into the water, the KCNA report said.
Some sections of the hull were crushed, upsetting the balance of the warship and preventing the bow from leaving the shipway, the report added.
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