Status: 22.11.2023, 10:04 a.m.
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North Korea's ruler Kim Jong Un. © UPI Photo/Imago
Third attempt, first success? North Korea claims to have launched a spy satellite into space. Doubts remain. But Kim has support from Russia.
Seoul – Two tests had already failed, but now it is said to have worked: North Korea says it has launched a military spy satellite into orbit. Now there is a lot of speculation about whether Pyongyang is actually able to advance one of the pet projects of ruler Kim Jong Un.
The South Korean military confirmed the launch of the rocket with the satellite — but not whether the satellite reached orbit. Similar statements were made by Japan and the United States.
Real-Time Enemy Observation: North Korea's Military Launches Spy Satellite
The North Korean space agency is working to launch the satellite into space in order to be able to observe the military activities of the "enemy" in real time. Launchers use technologies that are interchangeable with those of ballistic missiles, including the long-range missiles capable of reaching the entire American continent.
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Success for Kim: North Korea's third attempt at space mission apparently successful
North Korea has already tried twice to launch the new type of missile, called Chollima-1 – named after a mythological flying horse – in May and August. But both times it was not possible to get the satellite into orbit.
According to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, the launch was spotted from North Korea's northwest coast at around 22:43 p.m. The rocket reportedly flew over the sea near the border between the two countries.
North Korea's state-run KCNA news agency reported that the satellite was launched at 22:42 p.m. and launched into Earth orbit at 22:54 p.m. This has not yet been independently verified. Kim was present at the launch and, according to KCNA, congratulated officials, scientists and technicians involved in the launch preparations. North Korea said it had the "legitimate" right to strengthen its "self-defense capabilities" and would soon launch more spy satellites.
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The last two attempts failed due to malfunctions of the launch vehicles
The rockets used to launch the satellites usually consist of three stages, and each stage helps propel the rocket further to take the satellite out of Earth's atmosphere.
The first projectile landed in South Korea's western waters in May after an "abnormal flight" before it could launch an object into orbit, officials in Seoul and Tokyo said. The North Koreans said there were "serious" defects that caused the missile's second stage to fail in the air due to engine failure.
During the test in August, the first and second stages of the rocket worked normally, but there was a problem in the third stage of the flight, according to KCNA.
"Even if North Korea succeeds in putting a spy satellite into orbit, it remains to be seen whether the satellite can produce high-resolution images and reliably transmit signals," said Hong Min, a senior fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul. The operation of satellites will give North Korea the ability to spy on U.S. and South Korean military activities from space and identify missile targets, he said.
In a sign of a burgeoning space race on the Korean Peninsula, Seoul also plans to launch its first spy satellite from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California later this month to better monitor North Korea. South Korea has largely relied on the United States for space-based surveillance.
Military pact with Russia: Putin and Kim Jong-Un help each other
Kim had hinted that October would be the month for the third launch attempt. When he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in September, Putin said he wanted to help North Korea build satellites — a remarkable statement considering Russia is a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, which prohibits Pyongyang from testing long-range missile technology, including those for satellite launch. Watson, the spokeswoman for the NSC, on Tuesday called the launch a "brazen violation of several U.N. Security Council resolutions," adding that the launch "increases tensions and risks destabilizing the security situation in the region and beyond."
Analysts are puzzling over the reason for delaying the launch beyond the October timeframe. Was Pyongyang merely busy refining existing capabilities over the three launches? Or did Russia play an important role in getting Pyongyang over the finish line?
"The important event between the second and third launches was the summit between North Korea and Russia, where military, space, science and technology cooperation was discussed, and North Korea brought officials from these fields to the visit," said Lee Ho-ryung, military expert on North Korea at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses in Seoul.
There are already signs of increased cooperation between North Korea and Russia
The launch comes at a time when Russian ships connected to military transport networks are increasingly traveling between North Korea and a Russian military port, apparently carrying large amounts of cargo – the clearest evidence yet that Pyongyang may be supporting Moscow's war effort against Kyiv.
South Korean intelligence claims that North Korea appears to have received technical assistance from Russia for its satellite launch, but has not provided details to support its assessment.
For Kim, the satellite launch is just one of many weapons
The satellite launch is part of North Korea's five-year military development plan announced for 2021, with space technology a priority for Kim. Pyongyang views its space program as a symbol of national pride and scientific prowess. Washington and its allies criticize the Nordic space program for its dual use: the technology has civilian and military applications. Kim's priority is to build a wide range of military capabilities, including submarines capable of launching ballistic missiles and hypersonic missiles.
After a record series of missile launches in 2022, the Kim regime has continued to test a variety of weapons this year despite UN sanctions. The surge in Pyongyang's military activity prompted South Korean politicians to call for a pause in the 2018 inter-Korean agreement to reduce tensions. Seoul could partially suspend the deal if North Korea makes another attempt at a satellite launch, Yonhap news agency reported, citing an unnamed government official.
Pietsch reported from Washington.
About the authors
Michelle Ye Hee Lee is head of the Tokyo bureau of The Washington Post, covering Japan and the Korean Peninsula.
Min Joo Kim is a reporter for The Washington Post in Seoul. She reports on news from South and North Korea.
Bryan Pietsch is a foreign reporter in the Washington, D.C.-based International Division. Previously, he worked in Seoul, where he was the first female reporter at the Post's news center there.
We are currently testing machine translations. This article has been automatically translated from English into German.
This article was first published in English by the "Washingtonpost.com" on November 21, 2023 - as part of a cooperation, it is now also available in translation to the readers of IPPEN. MEDIA portals.