[3rd Report] JCS: "North Korea's Space Launch Vehicle Passed Over West Sky of Baengnyeongdo"

On the 31st, North Korea launched what it claims to be a space launch vehicle in the southern direction. This is the first time in seven years since February 7, 2016, when North Korea launched the 'Kwangmyongsong' satellite-carrying launch vehicle.

On the same day, the Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that North Korea detected one "North Korean claimed space launch vehicle" launched around 6:29 a.m. from the Dongchang-ri area in Pyonganbuk-do, North Korea, heading south.

The military has determined that the launch vehicle passed over the open sea west of Baengnyeongdo Island and is currently analyzing detailed specifications such as the type of the launch vehicle and its flight distance.

Earlier, North Korea announced it would launch a satellite between midnight on the 31st of this month and midnight on the 11th of next month. It designated the first-stage rocket drop zone as "far west of Gunsan, Jeonbuk," the fairing (satellite cover) drop zone as "far west of Jeju Island," and the second-stage rocket drop zone as "east of Luzon Island, Philippines." This provocation came about 40 days after North Korea test-fired the new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Hwasong-18 on the 13th of last month.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.