May 28th 2024.
The news coming out of Seoul on Monday was not good. According to state media, North Korea's second attempt at launching a spy satellite ended in failure when the rocket exploded shortly after liftoff. This was a major setback for leader Kim Jong Un, who had hoped to use these satellites to keep an eye on the United States and South Korea.
Interestingly, this failed launch occurred just hours after the leaders of South Korea, China, and Japan met in Seoul for their first trilateral meeting in over four years. It was quite unusual for North Korea to take such provocative action while China, their main ally and economic partner, was engaging in high-level diplomacy in the region.
Unsurprisingly, both South Korea and Japan were quick to condemn the launch, as the United Nations has banned North Korea from carrying out these types of launches. They see them as a cover for testing long-range missile technology.
The North Korean government, however, maintained that the launch was purely for the purpose of deploying a spy satellite using a new rocket from their main space center in the northwest. Unfortunately, an initial investigation showed that the rocket exploded due to a suspected engine problem. The vice director of the National Aerospace Technology Administration stated that they will continue to investigate other possible causes.
The launch caused some panic in Japan, as the government briefly issued a missile warning for the southern prefecture of Okinawa. Thankfully, the warning was lifted when it was determined that the region was no longer in danger. This launch had been planned and announced by North Korea, as they had notified Japan's coast guard earlier that day.
It's worth noting that North Korea has consistently maintained their right to launch satellites and test missiles. However, this launch was seen as a serious challenge by both Japan and South Korea. During the trilateral meeting, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol urged for strong international action if North Korea went forward with their plan.
While Chinese Premier Li Qiang did not mention the launch in his comments, some experts believe that North Korea's decision to launch during this specific time was meant to cause tension and discord among the three nations. Kim Jong Un has been actively seeking to form a united front with Beijing and Moscow against the United States, so China's diplomatic efforts with South Korea and Japan may have been seen as a threat.
In fact, North Korea's Foreign Ministry came out strongly against a joint statement issued by Li, Yoon, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, calling it "wanton interference in its internal affairs." This is highly unusual, as it is rare for North Korea to criticize China in such a manner.
This failed launch is a major setback for Kim Jong Un's plans to launch three more military spy satellites in 2024. It follows two previous attempts, one of which ended with the rocket crashing into the ocean and the other due to an error in the emergency blasting system.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that they had detected the launch of a spy satellite from North Korea's main space center on Monday evening. The timing and location match up with the failed launch reported by state media. It seems that Kim Jong Un's efforts to expand his military capabilities have hit a major snag, and it remains to be seen how he will respond to this setback.
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