When is North Korea scheduled to launch its next satellite?

When is North Korea scheduled to launch its next satellite?

Web Desk
August 22, 2023

When is North Korea scheduled to launch its next satellite?

Japanese media outlets have reported that North Korean officials have notified Japan about their intentions to pursue space ambitions, including plans for another satellite launch following a failed attempt last month.

According to Kyodo, North Korea informed the Japanese Coast Guard that it aims to launch the satellite sometime between August 24 and 31.

In May, North Korea launched its first military reconnaissance satellite, but the mission ended in failure as the rocket’s thrusters lost power, causing it to plunge into the sea shortly after liftoff.

The country’s leader, Kim Jong-un, asserted that the development of this spy satellite was necessary to counterbalance the increasing US military presence in the region.

Simultaneously, North Korea’s news agency, KCNA, criticized the “aggressive character” of joint US-South Korea military exercises that commenced on Monday.

KCNA warned that if these drills involve “nuclear provocation,” the likelihood of a “thermonuclear war on the Korean peninsula” would become more plausible.

The United States, South Korea, and Japan condemned North Korea’s previous satellite launch in May, considering it a violation of UN resolutions that prohibit the use of ballistic missile technology by the nuclear-armed state.

Analysts have highlighted the technological similarities between the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and space launch capabilities, suggesting a significant overlap.

Kim Jong-un has emphasized the priority of developing a military reconnaissance satellite.

South Korea’s intelligence agency recently informed lawmakers that Pyongyang might conduct a reconnaissance satellite launch in late August or early September, potentially ahead of the 75th anniversary of the regime’s establishment on September 9.

The satellite crash in May triggered an intricate, 36-day salvage operation led by South Korea, involving naval rescue ships, mine sweepers, and deep-sea divers.

Parts of the rocket and satellite that were retrieved underwent analysis by experts in both South Korea and the US. South Korea’s defense ministry later concluded that the satellite held no military utility.

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