New satellite images show that North Korea’s partially capsized destroyer has been put back in an upright position, according to U.S. researchers.

38 North said in a report, released Tuesday local time, that commercial satellite imagery from June 2 showed the destroyer upright for the first time since it partially capsized during a botched launching ceremony on May 21.

Attention is being paid to whether an order issued by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to completely repair the 5,000-ton warship before a ruling Workers’ Party meeting in late June will be fulfilled.

A day after the accident, North Korea’s state-run news predicted that it would take two to three days to pump seawater out of the stern and about 10 days to restore the ship, which is half on land and half on water at the port in Chongjin.
   
According to 38 North’s analysis, the work of bringing the ship upright was done by hand.
   
In an image from May 29, workers were observed pulling ropes believed to be connected to the ship and possibly using barrage balloons in an attempt to right the ship and do repair work. 

38 North said the sonar section of the vessel may have also been damaged, and in order to repair it the ship must be moved out of the water to either a large floating drydock or graving dock once afloat, but the Chongjin shipyard reportedly does not have such facilities.

[Photo : YONHAP News / Ministry of Unification]