North Korea makes third attempt to launch spy satellite

According to South Korea and Japan, North Korea launched a rocket on Tuesday that was reportedly carrying a satellite. This would be Pyongyang’s third attempt this year to launch its first spy satellite into orbit.

After two unsuccessful efforts to launch what it claimed to be spy satellites earlier this year, North Korea had already informed Japan that it intended to send up a satellite between Wednesday and December 1.

Seoul and Tokyo officials stated that they were unable to confirm whether a satellite had been launched into orbit right away.

The launch on Tuesday will be the first since Russian President Vladimir Putin promised to assist Pyongyang in building satellites during a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in September at Russia’s state-of-the-art space complex.

Officials from South Korea have stated that this endeavour most likely involved technical support from Moscow as part of an expanding collaboration that has seen North Korea transport millions of artillery shells to Russia. North Korea and Russia have acknowledged no such arms sales, but they have made public commitments to greater cooperation.

The rocket was fired towards the south from the Tongchang-ri area, which is home to the North’s major Sohae satellite launch complex, according to the South Korean military. It is thought to be carrying a reconnaissance satellite.

In order to protect citizens in the south from the potential threat of a North Korean missile, the Japanese government issued an emergency warning.

Using its emergency radio system, the Japanese government advised Okinawan citizens to seek shelter underground or within buildings. NHK, the public broadcaster cited a Japanese defence ministry official as saying that the missile was likely to be a satellite.

Later, it claimed that at approximately 10:55 p.m., the missile appeared to have flown over and past Okinawa in the direction of the Pacific Ocean, and it cancelled its emergency alert.

Citing a researcher at the nuclear-armed state’s space agency, North Korean state media KCNA stated on Tuesday that it was the nation’s “sovereign right” to bolster its military might against the U.S.-led space surveillance system and that Pyongyang’s creation of military satellites was justified.

Japan’s Fumio Kishida reiterated to media upon reaching the prime minister’s office that North Korea’s launch was a breach of resolutions from the U.N. Security Council and a threat to the security of Japanese citizens.

(With agency inputs)