North Korea's ambitious bid to launch its first spy satellite into space ended in failure on Wednesday, dealing a blow to leader Kim Jong Un's military aspirations amid escalating tensions with the United States and South Korea, according to a report by AP.
In an unusually swift acknowledgment of the setback, North Korea announced its intention to conduct a second launch once it has identified the cause of the rocket's failure.
This determination suggests that Kim Jong Un remains committed to expanding the country's weapons capabilities and exerting pressure on Washington and Seoul.
A man watches a television screen showing a news broadcast with file footage of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul on May 31, 2023. North Korea launched its purported spy satellite on May 31, the South's military said, prompting confusion in Seoul as the city briefly issued an evacuation warning in error.
Failed Launch
The launch caused brief alarm in South Korea and Japan, prompting authorities to urge residents to seek temporary shelter.
The South Korean military has since recovered an object believed to be a fragment of the crashed North Korean rocket from waters west of the island of Eocheongdo. The Defense Ministry released images of a white, metal cylinder believed to be part of the rocket.
AP notes that North Korea's satellite launch violates several United Nations Security Council resolutions that prohibit the country from conducting any launches involving ballistic technology.
Analysts said that North Korea's previous satellite launches have contributed to advancements in its long-range missile capabilities. Although the country has demonstrated the potential to reach the continental US with its long-range missiles, experts believe that it still has work to do before developing functional nuclear-armed missiles.
The failed launch involved the Chollima-1 rocket, which took off from the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground in the country's northwest at 6:37 a.m. The rocket, carrying the Malligyong-1 satellite, encountered problems after the separation of its first and second stages, leading to a loss of thrust.
South Korea's military reported an "abnormal flight" of the North Korean rocket before it ultimately crashed into the water.
According to the Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan, no object managed to reach space during the launch.
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"Serious Defects"
North Korean media reported that the country's space agency will conduct an investigation into the launch, focusing on the "serious defects" that were exposed. Subsequently, they intend to undertake a second launch in the coming days to address and resolve these issues.
Concerns over the launch had prompted Japan's coast guard to issue warnings about the potential impact on waters in the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and the eastern part of the Philippines' Luzon Island.
Responding to these concerns, Japan's defense minister authorized the shooting down of the satellite or any debris that might enter Japanese territory. However, since the launch failed, these measures were not put into action.
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