North Korea has righted a naval ship that capsized and was damaged during a botched launch in May, restoring its balance and mooring it to a pier, state media confirmed.

North Korea says it righted a capsized destroyer and moored it at a pier in the northeastern port of Chongjin as it continues to repair a new warship leader Kim Jong Un has described as a significant asset for his nuclear-armed military.

It wasn’t immediately clear what condition the ship is in from lying in the water for several days after the launch failure, which Kim Jong-un labelled “a criminal act”.