South Korea has released a video showing a North Korean missile failing mid-flight and exploding, marking another setback for Pyongyang’s ambitious space and military programs. The failed launch occurred on Monday, just hours after North Korea had issued a warning about its plans to launch a new military reconnaissance satellite by June 4. This would have been North Korea’s second spy satellite in orbit, following a successful launch in November last year.
The North Korean state media confirmed the failure, stating that the newly developed rocket engine exploded during the first stage of flight. The deputy director general of North Korea’s National Aerospace Technology Administration reported that an initial analysis suggested the cause was a newly developed liquid fuel rocket motor, although other potential causes are still under investigation.
South Korean and Japanese officials had earlier reported signs of the launch’s failure. The South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) detected the projectile at around 10:44 p.m. local time, noting a large amount of debris falling into the sea just two minutes after launch. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi confirmed that the object disappeared over the Yellow Sea, and the government presumed that nothing had entered space.
Japanese public broadcaster NHK aired footage showing an orange dot flying into the night sky before bursting into flames near the border between China and North Korea. A Japanese defense ministry official suggested that the color of the flames indicated burning liquid fuel, but further analysis is ongoing.
The launch appeared to originate from Dongchang-ri, North Korea’s main space flight center in the northwest of the country. In response to the launch, Japan issued an emergency warning for residents in the southern prefecture of Okinawa to take cover, although the warning was later lifted when it was determined that the missile would not fly over Japanese territory.
This latest failure follows a series of unsuccessful attempts by North Korea to place satellites into orbit. The first attempt to launch the new Chollima-1 satellite rocket in May last year ended in failure during the second stage. State media attributed the failure to an unstable and unreliable new engine system and fuel. Another attempt in August also failed, with the rocket boosters experiencing problems that caused the payloads to crash into the sea.
Despite these setbacks, North Korea successfully placed its first spy satellite, the Malligyong-1, into orbit in November. U.S. space experts later confirmed that the satellite was “alive” and under control, although its capabilities remain unknown. North Korean state media claimed that the satellite had transmitted photos of the Pentagon and White House, but no images have been released.
The successful November launch came after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited Russia’s most modern space launch center in September, where President Vladimir Putin promised to help Pyongyang build satellites. The extent of this aid remains unclear, but it could potentially violate United Nations Security Council resolutions against North Korea. South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported that Russian experts have visited North Korea to assist with its satellite and space rocket program.
North Korea has stated that it needs a military reconnaissance satellite to monitor U.S. and South Korean military activities. However, the United Nations bans North Korea from conducting any satellite launches, viewing them as covers for testing long-range missile technology. North Korea maintains that it has the right to launch satellites and test missiles, arguing that spy satellites will enhance its military capabilities.
The failed launch on Monday came just hours after Seoul, Beijing, and Tokyo concluded their first trilateral summit since 2019. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol warned that another satellite launch would undermine regional and global peace and stability, urging Pyongyang not to proceed with its plans. In response to the launch, the South Korean military conducted attack formation flight and strike training to demonstrate its capabilities and resolve.
Experts believe that successful spy satellites could significantly improve North Korea’s intelligence-gathering capabilities, particularly over South Korea, and provide crucial data in any military conflict. South Korea has claimed that North Korea received technical assistance from Russia for its November satellite launch in exchange for sending weapons to Moscow for use in the war in Ukraine.
As North Korea continues to pursue its space and military ambitions, the international community remains on high alert. South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities are closely monitoring and tracking North Korea’s activities, while the failed launch serves as a reminder of the challenges and risks associated with Pyongyang’s aggressive pursuit of advanced missile and satellite technology.
Source: CBS/AP, AFP
