North Korea's second endeavor to deploy a reconnaissance satellite into orbit ended in failure on August 24, with the rocket booster encountering an issue during its third stage, as the state media reports. Despite this setback, North Korean space authorities have announced their intention to make another attempt in October, Reuters reports.
This marks the country's second disappointment in its quest for a functional spy satellite. In May, the initial trial utilizing the Chollima-1 rocket resulted in a crash into the sea. The recent launch took place during the early hours of a scheduled eight-day window. North Korea's aim is to establish its first military spy satellite, forming part of a planned satellite fleet intended to monitor U.S. and South Korean military activities.
State news agency KCNA reports that the rocket's initial stages operated normally, but the emergency blasting system in the third stage malfunctioned, leading to the launch's failure. South Korea's military tracked the flight and confirmed its lack of success. The wreckage is being sought and potentially salvaged.
The launch triggered an emergency alert in Japan, instructing Okinawa's residents to seek shelter. However, the alert was lifted shortly afterward as the missile had passed through the region.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno stated that the recurrent missile launches posed a regional security threat. He strongly condemned North Korea's actions and emphasized the potential for these events to heighten tensions in the area.
Parts of the rocket were reported to have fallen into the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea, and the Pacific Ocean. South Korea's National Security Council regarded the launch as a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions prohibiting North Korea's ballistic missile technology usage.
The U.S. White House and State Department denounced the launch for contravening U.N. resolutions. The State Department underscored the similarity between space launch vehicles (SLVs) and ballistic missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
The North Korean National Aerospace Development Administration (NADA) acknowledged the need to investigate and address the failure's cause. They deem the issue minor in terms of the overall reliability of the rocket system. NADA plans to conduct the third reconnaissance satellite launch in October after addressing the problem.
Despite this failure, analysts suggest that North Korea has made progress since the May crash. This persistence underscores the nation's commitment to achieving successful satellite launches. These endeavors are seen as crucial to improving the country's weapons effectiveness.
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