Pakistan, May 22 -- North Korea's second naval destroyer suffered serious damage during a failed launch attempt this week, according to the country's state-run media. The launch, carried out using a "side-launch" method, resulted in parts of the ship's hull being crushed and the vessel losing balance, reported the Korean Central News (KCNA).

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un witnessed the incident and reacted strongly, labeling it a "criminal act." He blamed the failure on "inexperienced command and operational carelessness" and pointed fingers at several institutions, including the Munitions Industry Department and Kim Chaek University of Technology. Kim promised that those responsible would be held accountable at the upcoming Workers' Pa...