North Korea failed to launch its first spy satellite into space in an attempt Wednesday from the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground.
The country attempted to put Malligyong-1, its first reconnaissance satellite, in earth orbit on top of its Chollima-1 rocket. However, a few minutes after liftoff, the rocket suffered a propulsion failure during stage separation.
Pieces of the rocket reportedly crashed off the western coast of the Korean Peninsula. According to North Korean state media, the country's space agency, the National Aerospace Development Administration, would investigate "the serious defects revealed" by the failure and would schedule a second launch in the future once they are ready.
Neighboring South Korea and Japan urged residents near the rocket's flight path to seek shelter after the launch.
North Korea's Space Program
Malligyong-1 was an earth-observation satellite intended to develop North Korea's intelligence capabilities and enable them to generate photographs from space, while the Chollima rocket was first tested in December 2022 as part of the suborbital test of Malligyong's imaging capabilities.
Chollima was the hermit kingdom's answer to Nuri, South Korea's three-stage launch vehicle, which recently delivered eight small satellites into orbit last week.
North Korea successfully launched general-purpose satellites in 2012 and 2016, but the status of the spacecraft could not be verified.
International Response
While the aim of the launch was to put a satellite in space, the White House issued a statement saying the failed launch was "directly related" to North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program, which it condemns. It also urged other nations to condemn the launch as a step towards what they believed was Pyongyang's ICBM development.
"The door has not closed on diplomacy," wrote National Security Council spokesperson Adam Hodge, "but Pyongyang must immediately cease its provocative actions and instead choose engagement."
Ewha University professor Leif-Eric Easley was surprised by North Korea's admission of failure, calling the behavior "impressive."
"[I]t would be difficult to hide the fact of a satellite launch failure internationally, and the regime will likely offer a different narrative domestically," he said.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has an active ban on North Korea's long-range ballistic missile technology, which meant Pyongyang was not allowed to launch satellites on rockets based on ballistic technology.
South Korean military officials said it was salvaging an object presumed to be a part of the Chollima rocket used in the launch attempt. The rocket part was retrieved 200 kilometers (125 miles) west of Eocheongdo island.
The South Korean defense ministry later released photos of a white metal cylinder suspected to be part of the rocket.
Kim's Sister: Expect More Launches
Meanwhile, Kim Jong Un's sister, Kim Yo Jong, accused the US of "gangster-like" hypocrisy for criticizing North Korea's failed launch of Malligyong-1.
She added the country's efforts to expand its space technology and space-based reconnaissance capabilities were a legitimate exercise of its sovereign right. Yo Jong also condemned the UNSC's resolutions banning them from launching spacecraft using ballistic missile technology.
"[The United States] is letting loose a hackneyed gibberish prompted by its brigandish and abnormal thinking," she said.
Yo Jong went on to say the US and other countries that launched their own satellites should also be "denounced."
"It is certain that the [Democratic People's Republic of Korea]'s military reconnaissance satellite will be correctly put on space orbit in the near future and start its mission," she added.
