At a ceremony to launch a new 5,000-ton vessel in the eastern port city of Chongjin on Wednesday "a serious accident occurred", the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

South Korea's military said North Korea also fired "multiple unidentified cruise missiles" on Thursday, which were detected near the North's South Hamgyong province after being "fired toward the East Sea", also known as the Sea of Japan.

Blaming "inexperienced command and operational carelessness" for the destroyer's botched launch -- which was observed by Kim -- KCNA said there was a mishap which left "some sections of the warship's bottom crushed".

It said the accident managed to "destroy the balance of the warship".

Kim watched the entire incident and declared it a "criminal act caused by absolute carelessness", warning it "could not be tolerated".

He said the "irresponsible errors" of officials responsible would be "dealt with at the plenary meeting of the Party Central Committee to be convened next month".

South Korea's military said US and Seoul intelligence authorities assess that North Korea's "side-launch attempt" of the ship failed.

"The side-launch method used in this case is no longer employed by South Korea's military," Lee Sung-jun, spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters.

The vessel is currently listing in the water, Lee said, and based on its size and scale, it is believed to be similarly equipped to the 5,000-ton destroyer-class warship Choe Hyon, which North Korea unveiled last month.

Last month, Pyongyang's state media ran images of Kim attending a launching ceremony of Choe Hyon with his daughter Ju Ae, considered by many experts to be his likely successor.

North Korea claimed the vessel was equipped with the "most powerful weapons", and that it would "enter into operation early next year".

Some analysts said the ship could be equipped with short-range tactical missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads -- although North Korea has not proven it has the ability to miniaturise its atomic arsenal.

- Russian connection? -

The South Korean military has said the Choe Hyon could have been developed with Russian help -- possibly in exchange for Pyongyang deploying thousands of troops to help Moscow fight Ukraine.

Ahn Chan-il, a defector-turned-researcher who runs the World Institute for North Korea Studies, said the warship involved in Wednesday's accident may have also been constructed with Russian assistance.

Chongjin, the North Korean city where the launch ceremony was held, is close to Russia's Vladivostok port, he noted.

"It's also likely that the projected timeline for the vessel -- including when assembly would be completed and the ship launched -- was shared with the Russian side," he told AFP.

"It appears the dock was hastily constructed, and multiple issues may have arisen during the shipbuilding process.

"With today's announcement, Pyongyang seems to be signalling not only to its own people, but also to the Russian side."

- Strengthening the navy -

North Korea confirmed in April for the first time that it had deployed troops to Russia to support Moscow in the Ukraine war.

Moscow and Pyongyang recently announced that they had started building the first road bridge linking the two countries.

North Korea also launched a flurry of ballistic missiles last year in violation of UN sanctions.

In March, Kim inspected a project to build a nuclear-powered submarine, asserting that "radically" boosting the navy was a key part of Pyongyang's defensive strategy.

Kim called at the time for the modernisation of the country's surface and underwater naval forces, including the development of warships.

Pyongyang has previously claimed to be developing underwater nuclear attack drones, which could unleash a "radioactive tsunami", but analysts have questioned whether it actually has such a weapon.

Washington -- Seoul's key security ally -- has in recent years ramped up joint military exercises and increased the presence of strategic US assets in the region to deter the North, such as an aircraft carrier and a nuclear-powered submarine.

Pyongyang has repeatedly declared itself an "irreversible" nuclear weapons state and routinely denounces joint US-South Korea drills as rehearsals for invasion.

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:29:56 AEST Singapore (AFP) May 22, 2025 - China slammed a video shared on social media by the US embassy in Singapore which criticises Beijing's South China Sea claims, comparing them to the actions of an inconsiderate neighbour who intrudes on others' space.

The roughly 90-second video shows a government-built apartment block inundated with clutter, voiced over in a Singaporean accent.

"This happens right outside Singapore's doorstep too, in the South China Sea, where one neighbour thinks he owns basically everything," the narrator says, as the video cuts to a series of news clippings on China's territorial disputes.

The post sparked a strident reaction from China's embassy in Singapore late Wednesday.

On its Facebook page, the Chinese embassy said the video "deliberately distorts the ins-and-outs of the South China Sea issue".

"Under joint efforts of China and ASEAN countries, the current situation in the South China Sea remains overall stable," it added, referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations bloc.

The embassy said it was "universally recognized that the U.S. is the least qualified to even talk about international law".

Beijing claims almost the entire disputed waterway, through which more than 60 percent of global maritime trade passes, despite an international ruling that its assertion has no merit.

The South China Sea is also believed to contain valuable oil and gas deposits, and there are concerns that Beijing is seeking to expand its reach.

In Southeast Asia, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam have partial claims to the sea.

Singapore's foreign ministry said in a statement Wednesday that it rejects interference by foreign embassies.

"The Singapore Government rejects attempts by foreign embassies to incite domestic reactions to international issues involving third countries," the statement said.

"Complex issues are best resolved through appropriate channels for effective diplomacy," it said.

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:29:56 AEST Manila (AFP) May 21, 2025 - The Philippine and US coast guards participated for the first time in joint military drills, Manila's armed forces said Wednesday, joining broader exercises held by the two allies in the South China Sea.

Beijing claims almost the entire disputed waterway, through which more than 60 percent of global maritime trade passes, despite an international ruling that its assertion has no merit.

The "maritime cooperative activity" was held Tuesday in waters off Palawan and Occidental Mindoro in the western Philippines.

The two countries' coast guards have held joint exercises before, but never as part of combined military drills which Manila's armed forces said reflected a "growing whole-of-nation approach to maritime cooperation".

The Philippine coast guard deployed its 97-metre (320-foot) ship BRP Melchora Aquino and 44-metre ship BRP Malapascua while the US coast guard used the cutter Stratton, the Philippine military said in the statement.

The coast guard vessels joined Philippine navy and air force assets and US navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft in a series of exercises including communication checks, search and rescue and division tactics.

"As the Philippines continues to navigate evolving maritime challenges, joint activities like the MCA reaffirm the (Philippine military's) commitment to modernizing its capabilities and strengthening defense partnerships to secure our national and regional maritime interests," Philippine military chief General Romeo Brawner said.

China's embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment.

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:29:56 AEST Washington DC (UPI) May 20, 2025 - The keel for the future guided-missile destroyer USS Quentin Walsh was officially laid Tuesday in a ceremony at Bath Iron Works in Maine. It is the first time an Arleigh Burke-class ship will be built in honor of a Coast Guard member.

The keel, the structure at the bottom of the ship's hull, represents the start of construction or birth of the ship. Madison Ann Zolper, the great-granddaughter of the ship's namesake Coast Guard Capt. Quentin Walsh, attended Tuesday's ceremony and welded the family's initials into the keel plate.

"We are honored to mark the beginning of the construction for the future USS Quentin Walsh and celebrate his legacy with his family," said Capt. Jay Young, Arleigh Burke-class Destroyer program manager for PEO Ships. "DDG 132 will provide our Navy with critical strategic capabilities to support fleet readiness."

The Arleigh Burke-class Flight III destroyer, designated as DDG 132, will feature upgraded air and missile defense radar to provide "enhanced war fighting capability to the fleet," according to the U.S. Navy. The destroyers are designed to fight air, surface and subsurface battles at the same time.

Walsh, who died in 2000 and held various roles in the U.S. Coast Guard, was awarded the Navy Cross for heroic actions in the 1944 Battle of Cherbourg during World War II. Walsh's 53-man reconnaissance unit captured 750 German soldiers and freed 52 American prisoners of war.

Walsh, who also served during the Korean War, was among those honored in France on the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

"Capt. Walsh was a hero whose efforts during World War II continue to inspire, and his leadership in securing the French port of Cherbourg had a profound effect on the success of the amphibious operations associated with Operation Overlord," former Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer said at a 2019 ceremony in Cherbourg.

That same year, Adm. Karl Schultz -- former commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard -- announced the USS Quentin Walsh.

"Naming a future Navy destroyer after Capt. Walsh, the first Arleigh Burke-class ship to be named after a Coast Guard legend, highlights not only his courageous actions but the bravery of all U.S. service members involved in the D-Day invasion of Normandy," Schultz said in 2019, as the Navy on Tuesday celebrated the start of construction.

"The keel laying of future USS Quentin Walsh (DDG 132) symbolizes the Navy's 250-year commitment to innovation and maritime dominance," the U.S. Navy said in a statement. "This milestone marks the Navy's enduring legacy and commitment to shaping the future of maritime power."

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:29:56 AEST New York (AFP) May 18, 2025 - A Mexican Navy training ship slammed into the Brooklyn Bridge late Saturday, snapping all three of its masts as it collided with the iconic New York City landmark, injuring at least 22 people.

Onlookers enjoying the balmy spring evening watched in horror as the ship, its sails furled and festive lights draped in its rigging, tried to pass beneath the bridge, which sheared off the masts and sent them crashing into the East River.

The Mexican Navy said in a statement that 22 people on board the training ship were injured, three of them critically.

Some US media reports suggested that sailors had been in the rigging as the ship slammed into the bridge. The Navy said in its statement that no one had fallen into the water, and that no rescue operation had been launched.

Victims were rushed to local hospitals, The New York Post reported.

According to multiple US media reports, around 200 people were on the Cuauhtemoc, a barque built in 1982 which had a mast height of 48.2 meters (158 feet), at the time.

The Cuauhtemoc had been on a training maneouver at the time and was damaged in the "mishap," the Mexican Navy said in a separate statement on X.

"The Ministry of the Navy reaffirms its commitment to the safety of its personnel, transparency in its operations and excellence in the training of future officers of the Mexican Navy," it said.

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:29:56 AEST Beijing (AFP) May 15, 2025 - China urged parties involved in Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison's sale of Panama Canal ports to exercise "caution" Thursday, warning of legal consequences should they proceed without clearance from Beijing.

The Hong Kong firm's attempt to sell most of its port operations to a US-led consortium was first announced in March after weeks of pressure from Donald Trump.

The US president has refused to rule out military intervention to "take back" the crucial waterway -- which was handed over to Panama in 1999 -- from alleged Chinese control.

Beijing has criticised the sale of the assets to a group led by giant asset manager BlackRock, opening an investigation into the deal to ensure it is handled lawfully.

CK Hutchinson underlined on Monday that "the transaction would never be carried out in any illegal or non-compliant manner".

Asked about the firm's statement on Thursday, a spokeswoman for China's commerce ministry said that "all parties to the transaction must not attempt to circumvent the review process in any way".

No deal may be implemented without prior approval, He Yongqian said at a regular press conference, warning of "legal liability" in the event of proceeding without authorisation.

"It is hoped that the companies involved will maintain a clear understanding of this and proceed with caution," said He.

The business empire built by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing is registered in the Cayman Islands and the assets being sold are all outside China.

Beijing's next moves in scrutinising CK Hutchison may also have far-reaching implications on Hong Kong and its role as China's business gateway to the world, analysts told AFP.

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:29:56 AEST Panama City (AFP) May 9, 2025 - The new US ambassador to Panama on Thursday reassured its citizens that an agreement signed by the two countries last month does not permit the return of American military bases.

US President Donald Trump's repeated threats to "take back" control of the Panama Canal from what he calls excessive Chinese influence has caused alarm in the Central American nation.

The agreement signed by Trump's defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, and President Jose Raul Mulino's administration allows US military personnel to deploy to Panamanian-controlled bases along the canal for training, exercises and "other activities."

"Nowhere" does the agreement "talk about opening military bases," Trump's ambassador, Kevin Cabrera, told a news conference.

This agreement "will strengthen our cooperation against drug trafficking and protect the canal," which the United States built and controlled until 1999, he added.

The recent deal has sparked protests from Panamanians who oppose any perceived infringement of their country's sovereignty after a 1989 US invasion to depose then-leader General Manuel Noriega.

Cabrera said that "false" information was being spread about the agreement "for political reasons."

Mulino on Thursday ruled out canceling the pact, which he said did not allow "any form" of US military base in his country.

"There is no cession of territory here," he told a news conference.

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:29:56 AEST Manila (AFP) May 8, 2025 - The Philippines criticised on Thursday a "high-risk" manoeuvre by a Chinese vessel near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in a rare incident involving warships from the two navies.

The Scarborough Shoal -- a triangular chain of reefs and rocks in the contested South China Sea -- has been a flashpoint between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012.

Monday's encounter took place "approximately 11.8 nautical miles southeast" of the Scarborough Shoal, the military said, during ongoing US-Philippine military exercises that Beijing has slammed as destabilising.

"The Chinese frigate BN 554 was documented tailing PS35 (BRP Emilio Jacinto) at close range, while BN 573 dangerously crossed its bow in a high-risk maneuver that created the danger of collision," the military said in a statement, labelling the incident "threatening and provocative".

China in response accused Manila of sending a ship to "intrude" into its territorial waters.

Its military said it had sent "naval and air forces to track, monitor, warn and drive away the Philippine boat in accordance with laws and regulations".

"The relevant remarks of the Philippines side disregarded the facts, confused the public, and attempted to mislead international cognition," said Colonel Tian Junli, spokesperson of the Chinese military's Southern Theater Command.

Philippines Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad told AFP the last such encounter between warships from the two navies he could remember was on a resupply mission in the South China Sea two years ago.

Alexander Lopez of Manila's National Maritime Council said the Chinese vessel had been "dangerously close" to its Philippine counterpart.

The ship crossing the bow of the BRP Emilio Jacinto had come within about 180 metres (590 feet), he told AFP, leaving "no room for any manoeuvre, for any emergency cases".

The Chinese vessel following alongside had been less than 100 metres away, he said.

China and the Philippines have engaged in months of confrontations in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims in nearly its entirety despite an international ruling its assertion has no merit.

A Filipino sailor lost a thumb last June when Chinese coast guard members wielding knives, sticks and an axe foiled a Philippine Navy attempt to resupply its troops stationed on the Second Thomas Shoal.

The joint US-Philippine exercises known as Balikatan, which this year were to simulate a "full-scale battle scenario", are set to end Friday.

Warship sinks before it can be sunk in US-Philippine drills
Manila (AFP) May 5, 2025 - The BRP Miguel Malvar, old enough to have seen action in World War II, was scheduled to go out in a blaze of glory Monday, as a target ship during the annual US-Philippine "Balikatan" military exercises.

The 80-year-old vessel, however, would not quite make its own funeral.

Onlookers instead watched as the ship, which once chased Japanese submarines and ferried German prisoners as part of the US fleet, sank before the first volley could be fired.

"The Balikatan 25 maritime strike targets vessel sank off the west coast of the Philippines prior to the event commencing today," Philippine Navy spokesman John Percie Alcos said in cancelling a planned media event.

"Due to rough sea conditions ... and with its long service life... she took on a significant amount of water and eventually sank," he said

Praising it as one of the most-decorated ships in Philippine history, Alcos added the country was proud to be "transitioning to a new and multi-capable navy".

After more than 20 years of service, the vessel -- then named USS Brattleboro -- was sold to the Republic of Vietnam in 1966.

The Philippine Navy acquired and refurbished the ship after its crew fled Vietnam following the 1975 fall of Saigon.

Balikatan, three weeks of US-Philippine joint exercises aimed at deterring Beijing's ambitions in the disputed South China Sea, is set to end Friday.

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:29:56 AEST Washington DC (UPI) May 7, 2025 - A jet fell off the USS Harry S. Truman for the second time in roughly a week, officials said.

The F/A-18 Super Hornet fell off the deck of the ship and was lost in the Red Sea, CBS News, NBC News and CNN reported.

The pilot and weapons systems officer were forced to eject from the aircraft following a failed arrestment.

They sustained minor injuries after they were recovered by a rescue helicopter, CNN reported.

A defense official told CBS News that no flight deck personnel were injured in the incident.

The cause of the incident was unclear but initial reporting, the tail hook failed to catch the wire that slows down the aircraft upon landing, and the jet then continued to accelerate toward the bow and over into the water, according to NBC News.

The first F/A-18E to fall into the water was being towed in the hangar bay in late April when the crew reportedly lost control of the aircraft, which led to both the jet and tow tractor to go overboard. U.S. officials said the jet may have fallen after the Truman turned while taking evasive action against Yemen's Houthi militants.

The Navy said the incident is under investigation. A single F/A-18E costs around $66 million to produce.

The Truman has seen other problems over the past year. It collided with a merchant ship in the Mediterranean Sea near the Suez Canal in February, which led to the removal of its captain. One of the Truman's F/A-18 fighter jets was mistakenly fired upon by another American aircraft carrier in December.

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:29:56 AEST Washington (AFP) May 7, 2025 - A US warplane plummeted into the Red Sea when trying to land on the Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, a defense official said Wednesday, the second jet lost from the ship in just over a week.

The F/A-18F Super Hornet -- which cost about $67 million -- went overboard Tuesday due to a failure in the procedure for aircraft to catch a wire with a hook to help them stop after landing.

"The arrestment failed, causing the aircraft to go overboard," the defense official said.

"Both aviators safely ejected and were rescued," the official said, adding that they had minor injuries.

It is the second F/A-18 operating off the Truman to be lost in recent days.

On April 28, a similar F/A-18E fell off the carrier when the crew that was towing it in the hanger lost control of the plane.

One sailor sustained a minor injury in that incident, which also saw a tow tractor lost overboard.

Late last year, another F/A-18 operating off the Truman was lost after it was mistakenly shot down by the USS Gettysburg guided missile cruiser. Both pilots survived that incident.

And in February, the Truman itself suffered damage when it collided with a merchant vessel in the Mediterranean Sea near Egypt's Port Said.

- Yemen ceasefire -

In addition to the lost warplanes and damage, a US official said last week that seven MQ-9 Reaper drones -- which cost around $30 million apiece -- had been lost in the Yemen area since March 15.

The Truman is one of two US aircraft carriers operating in the Middle East, where US forces have been hammering Yemen's Huthi rebels with strikes since mid-March.

The Iran-backed Huthis began attacking merchant vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in late 2023, claiming solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, which has been devastated by the Israeli military following a shock Hamas attack in October of that year.

The United States started targeting the Huthis in 2024 under Joe Biden, and President Donald Trump's administration on March 15 launched a new wave of near-daily strikes.

On Tuesday, Trump said that the Huthis had agreed to stop their attacks and that Washington would in turn halt strikes on the rebels, which have left 300 people dead, according to an AFP tally of Huthi figures.

"They say they will not be blowing up ships anymore," the US president said, before mediator Oman said the two sides had agreed a ceasefire.

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:29:56 AEST Subscribe to our daily selection of space, military, environment and energy newsletters responseText http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=0016gbbKsaiGSpQFojVO8ZoHw%3D%3D