North Korea’s newest warship was severely damaged during a launch ceremony Wednesday, with leader Kim Jong Un, who witnessed the accident, saying it brought shame to the nation’s prestige and vowing to punish those found responsible,

Kim Jong Un’s dream of modernizing his country’s outdated naval fleet suffered a major setback after a much-touted warship crashed into the water after a botched exit from the dock.

It’s not common for North Korea to acknowledge military-related setbacks, but observers say the disclosure of the failed ship launch suggests that Kim is serious about his naval advancement program a...