North Korea Acknowledges Failed Spy Satellite Launch, Promises Future Attempts

The launch of the satellite caused emergency alerts and evacuation warnings in Okinawa, Japan’s southernmost prefecture. However, the alerts were later lifted.

This second launch attempt followed a failed attempt in May due to second-stage flight issues. The most recent failure was attributed to an error in the emergency blasting system during the third-stage flight, according to the Korean Central News Agency. The first and second stages of the rocket performed normally.

South Korea detected the “space launch vehicle” flying above international waters west of the Korean Peninsula. The South’s military tracked the flight from its liftoff and confirmed its failure.

North Korea expressed the need for a reliable reconnaissance information system to monitor enemy military activities in real-time, citing joint military drills between the United States and South Korea. The launch coincided with ongoing exercises between the two allies.

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North Korea’s first attempted satellite launch in May ended in failure due to serious defects in the second stage of the rocket. The rocket lost thrust midair and fell into the sea. South Korea recovered debris from the launch but determined that the satellite was not advanced enough for space-based reconnaissance.

Despite the setback, North Korea vowed to conduct a second launch as soon as possible through various part tests.

North Korea notified Japan of its plans to launch a satellite between August 24 and 31, without specifying the type of satellite.

According to Tokyo, parts of the North Korean rocket fell into the sea between Japan and the Korean Peninsula, the East China Sea, and the Pacific Ocean outside of the maritime zones previously announced by Pyongyang.

The United States, South Korea, and Japan all condemned the launch as a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions that sanction North Korea for its use of ballistic missile technology.

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North Korea has demonstrated its ability to master difficult technology through repeated testing and refinement. After numerous missile failures, North Korea successfully launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on a lofted trajectory. Since then, it has continued to refine its technology through multiple launches.

In its latest test, North Korea conducted the second test of a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile, which is faster to deploy and harder to detect than liquid-propelled missiles.