North Korea’s first-ever spy satellite attempt suffered a severe setback as the rocket carrying it plunged into the sea shortly after launch, sparking false air raid alarms in neighboring South Korea and Japan.
The North Korean attempt to deploy a military satellite into orbit was marked by failure when the rocket malfunctioned during mid-flight, causing a surge of tension in surrounding countries. International critics swiftly condemned the endeavor, terming it a clear breach of global accords. Despite the botched launch, North Korea has communicated its resolve to execute a second attempt at the earliest.
North Korea’s Chollima-1 rocket took flight on Tuesday at 5:27 p.m. ET (equivalent to 6:27 a.m. local time on Wednesday) from the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground, aiming to dispatch the Malligyong-1 spy satellite, as per the reports by the North Korean state news agency, KCNA. The rocket failed to maintain its thrust after the first stage separation, experiencing an “abnormal startup of the engine” during the vehicle’s second stage. KCNA attributes this malfunction to potential instability in the engine and fuel system.
The rocket’s malfunction led to an abrupt crash into the sea off the Korean Peninsula’s west coast. The unexpected occurrence stirred a false state of emergency in parts of South Korea and Japan, sounding air raid sirens and evacuation warnings.
In the wake of the incident, North Korea is reportedly scouring the sea for rocket fragments and conducting an investigation into the anomaly’s precise cause. These efforts are aimed at resolving any issues before another satellite launch attempt.
The controversial launch was already under scrutiny due to international restrictions prohibiting North Korea from using ballistic missile technology. Before the ill-fated launch on Wednesday, North Korea had publicized its forthcoming endeavor to launch its debut military reconnaissance satellite, purportedly for monitoring US military activities, between May 31 and June 11.
Japan and South Korea joined the US in censuring North Korea’s military reconnaissance satellite launch. The White House issued a statement on Tuesday, denouncing the launch as a “brazen violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions” that could potentially destabilize the security situation in the region and beyond. Ahead of the launch, Japan was already on high alert, with orders for its Self Defense Force to intercept the satellite if it intruded into Japanese territory, according to the Japan Times.
This unfortunate event marks the sixth satellite launch attempt by North Korea, and the first one in six years. The country has two satellites in orbit, although neither of them is a spy satellite.
