North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had vowed to punish those found responsible for the mishap, which he called a "criminal act caused by absolute carelessness".

Kim Jong Un was reportedly enraged by the "sheer carelessness" leading to the botched launch of the regime's second destroyer.

North Korea has detained three people over an accident that occurred during the launch of a new warship this past week, state media reported early Sunday. Pyongyang has said that “a serious accident occurred” at Wednesday’s launch ceremony in the eastern port city of Chongjin for a newly built 5,