North Korean Vessel Sinks, Killing 90 Soldiers En Route to Border Project

North Korean Vessel Sinks, Killing 90 Soldiers En Route to Border Project

A North Korean transport vessel sank last month, killing 90 out of 130 personnel on board, according to South Korean intelligence agencies. TV Chosun reports that a large ship ferrying troops went down on a river. The personnel were en route to a fortification project along the border with Gangwon Province. The vessel was overloaded, according to intelligence sources. The vessel's name was not identified.

The incident has caused unease within the North Korean military. Pyongyang's recent actions along the border, such as flying 1,000 bags of trash across the demilitarized zone using unmanned balloons, could be attempts to redirect attention to an external enemy. Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean studies at Ewha University, told TV Chosun that North Korea often creates external tension to unite internally.

No reports of the incident have been published by North Korea, and the account could not be confirmed. TV Chosun has previously reported on intelligence information that was later acknowledged by the South Korean government.

North Korea's fleet is aging, and Western sanctions have made it harder to get parts and repairs for the regime's vessels. The United States government prohibits trade and other transactions with North Korea, and the UN Security Council has imposed strict limits on North Korean commerce, often ignored by China and Russia. In 2021, the North Korean cargo ship Cheongbong went down off Shimane, Japan with a cargo of iron; all personnel were rescued by a passing North Korean tanker.

South Korean news outlet TV Chosun reports that intelligence sources have confirmed the recent sinking of a North Korean military transport vessel, killing around 90 people. The unidentified large ship was transiting a river with 130 troops on board en route to North Korea’s border with South Korea’s Gangwon province when it sank. The sinking occurred in May and is believed to have been partly caused by overloading. North Korea’s news agencies have yet to publish any details about the incident.

The troops on the vessel were being ferried to the border with Gangwon as part of security enhancement measures initiated by Pyongyang. The intelligence reports also said that Kang Sun-nam, North Korea’s Minister of Defence, visited the incident site following the sinking and ordered measures to prevent a similar occurrence. Park Won-gon, a professor at Ewha University, told TV Chosun that the sinking has sparked unrest within the North Korean military and that recent provocations against South Korea may be used to draw attention away from the tragedy.

Overloaded North Korean Vessel Carrying Troops Capsizes, Killing 90 of 130 Personnel

A North Korean transport vessel overloaded with soldiers sank last month, killing almost 90 of the 130 people on board, according to a South Korean intelligence report. North Korea has not publicly acknowledged the incident, which occurred on a river while ferrying troops for a border project in Gangwon Province. TV Chosun reports the large ship sank in early May due to overloading. The personnel on board were assigned to a border barrier project in the country’s eastern region. The vessel's name is unknown.

According to South Korean intelligence sources, the incident caused widespread concern among North Korean military personnel. The regime’s recent border measures, such as flying 1,000 bags of trash across the demilitarized zone on unmanned balloons, could be attempts to shift focus to an external opponent. Park Won-gon, a professor at Ewha University, told TV Chosun that North Korea often provokes foreign conflict to unite internally. While North Korean sources have not confirmed the occurrence, TV Chosun has a track record of reporting intelligence material that is later confirmed by the South Korean government.

North Korea’s aging fleet, combined with Western sanctions that make it hard to procure parts and maintenance, has compounded the regime’s maritime challenges. In 2021, the North Korean cargo ship Cheongbong sank off Shimane, Japan, carrying iron; a passing North Korean tanker rescued all workers. The South Korean National Intelligence Service has not issued a public statement about the incident, and its embassy in Beijing has not responded to requests for comment. North Korean Defense Minister Kang Sun Nam visited the accident site and ordered stricter safety standards, but this appears to have done little to ease the military’s discontent.

North Korea rarely acknowledges maritime incidents involving military personnel. No public comments from North Korea have been made regarding the latest sinking, and the South Korean intelligence assessment has yet to be validated by independent sources.