North Korea is seeking to arrest those responsible for the failed launch of its second naval destroyer, as it denied the warship suffered major damage — a claim quickly met with outside skepticism.

Satellite images have for the first time shown the extent of a shipyard accident in North Korea that damaged a new warship in the presence of the secretive state's leader, Kim Jong Un.

The 5,000-ton-class warship was damaged when a transport cradle on the ship’s stern detached early during a launch ceremony at the northeastern port of Chongjin on Wednesday, state media said.

Seoul and Washington agreed a five-year deal on defence cost-sharing last year, but Mr Trump recently indicated that expenses tied to the American military presence could become a point of negotiation in broader trade talks. But South Korean officials insisted on tackling the issue of defence contributions separately.