Seoul, South Korea - South Korea - North Korea said Friday it had corrected a capsized destroyer and moored it on a dock in Jongji's northeast port as it continued to repair new warship leader Kim Jong Un described it as a vital asset to his nuclear weapons army.

The report from North Korean media is consistent with South Korean military assessments and recent commercial satellite images.

North Korea's official Central News Agency said experts will conduct a careful inspection of the hull's hull before starting the next recovery phase, which will be held at a dry dock at the port near Larkin and is expected to last for seven to 10 days.

Satellite images taken by Planet Labs Planet Labs on Thursday, analyzed by the Associated Press, show the devastating destroyer standing upright and floating. It is not clear from the image how much damage was caused to the vessel and how much damage the vessel caused in the water a few days after the failed launch. However, the ship does not appear to be a clear list, meaning Pyongyang is likely to be able to send it to another port to inspect the vessel's electronics.

Jo Chun Ryong, a senior official of the ruling Workers' Party, told the agency before "the perfect recovery of the destroyer will not fail" at the congress meeting in late June.

External experts say it is unclear how seriously the 5,000-ton destroyer suffered during the outbreak ceremony held in late May, triggering an angry response from Kim Jong Il, who called the failure "a crime caused by absolute carelessness, irresponsible, unserious economicsism."

According to state media, North Korean law enforcement has detained at least four officials, including the Workers' Party's deputy director of the Ammunition Industry Department. The main military commission in the north said those responsible would be held responsible for their “unforgivable criminal acts.”

South Korean military forces assessed that North Koreans corrected the ship earlier this week and could conduct drainage operations while inspecting the losses, Lee Sung Joon, spokesman for South Korea's Joint Chief of Staff, told reporters Thursday.

"The nature and duration of the repair process will vary depending on whether internal repairs, other work or events affect the keel," Li said. "This may also affect how the ship is used."

The damaged warship is the second known destroyer of North Korea and is regarded as a key asset for Kim Jong Il's goal of naval modernization. It is the same as the first destroyers that the country unveiled in April, and experts evaluate it as the largest and most advanced warship to date. Kim praised the ship launched in the west of Nampo, saying his goal was to expand the range of operations and nuclear strike capabilities of the army.

State media said the ship was designed to handle a variety of weapon systems, including anti-air and anti-ship weapons, as well as ballistic and cruise missiles with nuclear power. King also oversees missile tests for the destroyer, and state media said the ship is expected to pursue active service early next year.

While North Korea's navy is widely believed to be far inferior to its rival navy, analysts say destroyers equipped with modern missiles and radar systems can still improve offensive and defensive capabilities in the north.

South Korean officials and experts say military cooperation between the two countries has intensified destroyers in the north due to Russian President Vladimir Putin's war against Ukraine, as military cooperation intensified Russian aid. The Jin government has provided Russia with thousands of troops and large military equipment, including artillery and ballistic missiles, to support its combat. Washington and Seoul expressed concern that in return, Kim may seek Russian technology transfers to enhance the threat posed by its nuclear-weapon military.

Kim met with Russian Security Council secretary Sergei Shoigu in Pyongyang on Wednesday to show the deepening of relations among the countries.

Kim has already responded to threats from the United States and South Korea, which has expanded joint military exercises to deal with the North’s advance nuclear program. King said the acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines would be his next important step in strengthening the North Korean Navy.

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The report has been edited to correct that North Korea's statement was published Friday, not Saturday.