Fire destroys South Korean submarine in shipyard

A major fire at the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in Ulsan has destroyed the South Korean non-nuclear submarine SS 079 Hong Beom-do. The blaze, which occurred on April 9, killed one shipyard worker and caused such severe internal damage that the vessel is beyond repair. Preliminary estimates put the total damage at 1 trillion won ($676 million), with insurance expected to cover only half the cost. The submarine, commissioned in 2018, was the seventh of nine KSS II-type boats built under a German license.