North Korea on Wednesday said it had successfully launched its first military spy satellite into orbit following the launch of a space rocket discovered by Seoul and Tokyo.
“The Chollima-1 space rocket flew normally along the specified trajectory and accurately placed the Mulligyong-1 satellite into orbit (…) 705 seconds after launch,” North Korean state news agency KCNA reported.
The supposed successful launch from Pyongyang, which has not yet been confirmed by the United States and South Korea, follows two failed attempts in May and August, Efe news agency reported.
The event was supervised by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s state news agency reported.
North Korea defended the launch of its satellite into orbit as part of its legal right to strengthen its defense capabilities and promised to launch more of these reconnaissance devices “in a short time,” the KCNA note said, citing the agency. South Korean Yonhap.
The same source in Pyongyang added that the launch “will make a significant contribution to the final strengthening of the military capabilities of the North Korean armed forces.”
On Tuesday, the South Korean army said it had detected “what North Korea calls a military reconnaissance satellite” that was “launched south of the Tongchang-ri area in the northwest of the country, where the Sohae launch base is located.
The launch also caused Japan’s national missile defense system to be activated for several minutes, whereby a message was sent to residents of Okinawa Prefecture (southwest) warning of “an apparent missile launch from North Korea” and advising “protection inside a building or underground.”
According to Western sources, North Korea may have relied on technological help and advice from Moscow for its new launch after a September summit between the North Korean leader and Russian President Vladimir Putin that served to cement an agreement aimed at cooperation and trade between the countries. in the military and aerospace field.
Seoul, Washington and Tokyo condemned the launch and stressed that it was a violation of UN Security Council resolutions that prohibit these exchanges, as well as Pyongyang’s launch of space rockets, believing it to be the use of classified technologies to create intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
South Korea partially suspends military agreement with North Korea
The South Korean government announced this Wednesday a partial suspension of the 2018 military agreement with North Korea after Pyongyang launched its first military spy satellite into orbit.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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