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After last month's humiliating launch failure that left a destroyer capsized and Kim Jong-un furious
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North Korea now says the warship is back above water and back at port for repairs
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State media says technicians are now assessing damage and preparing the ship for dry dock
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to drain flooded systems before starting hull repairs. The goal? Get the destroyer operational
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before a workers party meeting later this month, as ordered by Kim himself
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Satellite imagery from Planet Labs confirms the ship is upright and moored near the site of the botched launch
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ysts say the damage looks less severe than feared. The warship, designed to boost Pyongyang's naval and nuclear defenses
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was badly damaged after a sideways launch went wrong, smashing parts of the hull and dunking the bow
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Kim Jong-un witnessed it himself. He called it criminal negligence and vowed punishment
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Four officials have since been detained. But the big surprise? U.S. military experts say North Korea got the ship back upright faster than expected
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using special balloons to stabilize and refloat it. ysts thought that could take six weeks, but it took two
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And if repairs move as quickly, the ship could be back in action much sooner than expected
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North Korean officials now promise a, quote, perfect restoration without fail. The ship is believed to be a twin of the destroyer unveiled last month
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a high-tech vessel equipped with anti-air and ship defense systems, and the ability to launch both ballistic and cruise missiles, including nuclear warheads
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Experts say North Korea still lags far behind militarily, but these destroyers mark a significant upgrade and a growing threat
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