Seoul: South Korea's military announced that a North Korean warship, which partially capsized during a launch ceremony in May, has now been restored to an upright position with ongoing restoration efforts.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the 5,000-ton warship tipped over and became partially submerged during a launch event held in Chongjin, North Korea, on May 21. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un condemned the mishap as a "criminal act" and demanded the ship be restored before a significant party meeting later in June.

Col. Lee Sung-jun, spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), stated at a regular press briefing that the warship had returned to an upright position earlier in the week, with further restoration efforts believed to be underway. He confirmed that both South Korean and U.S. intelligence are closely monitoring the situation in Chongjin.

Col. Lee suggested that the North would likely drain water from the warship to comply with Kim's directive. However, he did not confirm if the restoration would meet the deadline, indicating further analysis is needed to assess changes to the warship's keel.

Earlier reports from 38 North, a U.S. website that monitors North Korea, corroborated these developments, citing satellite imagery indicating the warship's upright position.

JCS officials noted the use of heavy equipment, such as cranes, to reposition the vessel, dismissing the likelihood of using balloons due to weight constraints. The North has initiated a comprehensive investigation into the accident, detaining key officials associated with the warship project.

North Korean state media previously downplayed the damage, describing it as "not serious" and reported that the "rehabilitation plan" is proceeding as expected. South Korea's military had earlier assessed that the North likely failed in using a side launching technique for the warship.