North Korea: Satellite launch failed

North Korea's attempt to launch a military reconnaissance satellite into orbit failed on Monday when the newly developed rocket engine of the carrier rocket exploded in mid-air during the flight. This was reported by several Western news agencies, citing North Korea's state media.

"The launch of the new satellite carrier rocket failed when it exploded in mid-air during the first stage of the flight," the Reuters news agency quoted the deputy director general of North Korea's National Aerospace Technology Agency as saying. An initial analysis suggests that the cause was a newly developed liquid-propellant rocket engine, according to Reuters. However, other possible causes are also being investigated.

The missile launch was initially discovered by Japan, according to the business news agency Bloomberg. According to the report, the Japanese authorities briefly issued a warning to residents of the southern prefecture of Okinawa to seek safety, as it was initially unclear whether it could be a ballistic missile. Japanese state television showed a video of an orange dot flying into the night sky and then bursting into flames in an area near the border between China and North Korea. Another broadcaster quoted a government official as saying that the launch of a missile had apparently failed.

Tensions in the region

Bloomberg further reports that the launch of the Tonchang-Ri missile was detected at around 10:44 p.m. local time, according to the South Korean General Staff. South Korea's Chief of General Staff condemned the missile launch as a provocation by North Korea that violated UN Security Council resolutions. Japan and the United States also condemned the launch. Pyongyang, on the other hand, maintains that it has the right to operate a civilian space program. The launch of a first military reconnaissance satellite failed at the end of May last year; another attempt in August also failed. In November, the country then successfully launched its first spy satellite into orbit.

Before the new launch on Monday, North Korea told Japan that it wanted to launch a satellite into space by June 4. The launch then took place a few hours after the conclusion of a rare three-way summit between China, South Korea and Japan in the South Korean capital Seoul. The government in Pyongyang usually sends a message before satellite launches, indicating where the rocket stages could fall in a southerly orbit over the Yellow Sea and waters near the Philippines, writes Bloomberg. South Korea responded to North Korea's announcement of the satellite launch to Japan with an aerial maneuver near its border with North Korea to demonstrate its strength.

(akn)