North Korea’s attempt to launch a new military reconnaissance satellite ended in failure on Monday when a newly developed rocket engine exploded mid-flight. The launch came mere hours after Pyongyang had issued a warning that it would attempt to launch the satellite by June 4, aiming to place its second spy satellite in orbit.
The failure marked the latest setback for the nuclear-armed state, which has experienced two other fiery launch failures in the past year. However, it had successfully placed its first spy satellite in orbit in November.
“The launch of the new satellite carrier rocket failed when it exploded in mid-air during the flight of the first stage,” reported the deputy director general of North Korea’s National Aerospace Technology Administration, as carried by state media. Initial analysis suggested that the cause was a newly developed liquid fuel rocket motor, though other potential causes are under investigation.
Officials in South Korea and Japan had earlier reported indications of the launch’s failure. The South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) noted that North Korea fired the projectile on a southern path off its west coast at around 10:44 p.m. (1344 GMT). They detected a large amount of debris from the rocket in the sea just two minutes after launch.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi confirmed that the object launched by North Korea disappeared over the Yellow Sea, emphasizing that these launches violate relevant Security Council resolutions and pose a serious threat to public safety. The United States condemned the launch, stating it incorporated technologies directly related to North Korea’s ballistic missile program and violated multiple UN Security Council resolutions.
The launch occurred shortly after a rare three-way summit in Seoul involving China, South Korea, and Japan. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida had urged North Korea to refrain from the launch. Although Chinese Premier Li Qiang did not mention the launch, he called for all parties to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Japanese public broadcaster NHK aired footage of what appeared to be an orange dot ascending into the night sky before bursting into flames near the China-North Korea border. The launch triggered public alerts in several Japanese areas, which were later withdrawn once it became clear the rocket would not fly over the islands.
Multiple Failures, One Success:
North Korea’s first attempt to launch the new Chollima-1 satellite rocket on May 31, 2022, ended in failure during the second stage. State media attributed the setback to an unstable and unreliable new engine system and fuel. South Korea retrieved the wreckage and determined the satellite had no significant reconnaissance capabilities.
Another attempt in August also failed, with rocket booster stages malfunctioning and the payloads crashing into the sea. North Korean space authorities downplayed the August failure, describing it as “not a big issue” for the rocket system’s overall reliability.
In February, U.S. space experts confirmed that North Korea’s first spy satellite, Malligyong-1, was “alive” after detecting orbital changes suggesting Pyongyang was controlling the spacecraft, although its capabilities remain uncertain. North Korean state media claimed the satellite transmitted photos of key locations such as the Pentagon and White House but did not release the images.
The successful November launch followed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s rare visit abroad in September, where he toured Russia’s most modern space launch center. President Vladimir Putin promised assistance in building satellites, though the extent of future aid remains unspecified and could violate UN Security Council resolutions against North Korea.
Reports indicate that Russian experts have visited North Korea to assist with the satellite and space rocket program, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, citing an unnamed senior defense official.
