North Korean Missile Inscribed with 'Cheonma'... Will It Reveal ICBM Technology? (Comprehensive)

North Korea Recovers Debris 15 Days After Space Launch Vehicle Crash
Recovered Object Sent to ADD... South Korea-US Joint Precision Analysis
ICBM Technology Revealed? Military "Searching for Additional Debris"

North Korea's space launch vehicle 'Chollima-1,' which it claimed was a military reconnaissance satellite and launched on the 31st of last month but crashed into the West Sea, has had its debris recovered. South Korean and U.S. authorities plan to conduct a joint detailed analysis, with expectations to gain insights into the latest technology of North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the 16th, the South Korean military recovered debris presumed to be part of the so-called 'North Korean claimed space launch vehicle' from the seabed about 75 meters deep, approximately 200 km southwest of Eocheongdo Island, at around 8:50 p.m. the previous day. The debris is estimated to be the second stage of the three-stage rocket 'Chollima-1,' measuring 12 meters in length and 2.5 meters in diameter. Notably, the cylindrical surface bore the inscription 'Cheonma' along with a mark depicting a flying horse.

The debris of the space launch vehicle 'Chollima-1,' launched by North Korea using ballistic missile technology, was recovered from the West Sea 15 days after it fell.
[Photo by Joint Chiefs of Staff]

The debris of the space launch vehicle 'Chollima-1,' launched by North Korea using ballistic missile technology, was recovered from the West Sea 15 days after it fell.
[Photo by Joint Chiefs of Staff]

A Joint Chiefs of Staff official explained, "To recover the debris, about ten vessels including naval rescue ships and minesweepers, as well as dozens of deep-sea divers, were deployed. Despite challenges such as deep water, strong currents, visibility limited to 50 cm, and the cylindrical shape of the debris restricting the attachment of lifting cables, the recovery operation was successfully conducted considering the on-site conditions." The debris was recovered 15 days after the launch vehicle crashed.

Previously, North Korea launched the rocket 'Chollima-1,' which it claimed carried the reconnaissance satellite 'Malligyeong-1,' from a new launch site in Dongchang-ri, North Pyongan Province, on the 31st of last month. However, after the first stage separation, the ignition of the second stage failed, causing it to crash into the sea about 200 km west of Eocheongdo Island. The military discovered floating debris presumed to be from the crash site about 1 hour and 30 minutes after the launch and tied yellow lift bags to prevent it from sinking.

In addition to the second stage of the rocket recovered the previous day, the military confirmed that circular ring-shaped debris with a diameter of 2 to 3 meters, presumed to be additional debris, was also recovered from another area. These objects were transported to the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) for joint detailed analysis by South Korea and the U.S. The two countries agreed on this during the Asia Security Conference (Shangri-La Dialogue) in Singapore on the 3rd. In the past, South Korea and the U.S. also formed a joint investigation team when analyzing debris from North Korea's long-range rocket 'Unha-3,' recovered from the West Sea in December 2012.

The military stated that the recovered debris is the 'second stage part' of the rocket, and it is presumed that the engine, fuel tank, and oxidizer tank remain intact inside the recovered second stage body. Jang Young-geun, head of the Missile Center at the Korea Institute for National Strategic Studies, analyzed, "The recovered Chollima-1 launch vehicle debris appears to be the second-stage propulsion unit, including the engine, nozzle, fuel tank, and oxidizer tank, as well as the interstage connecting the first and second stages."

Since the propulsion system of North Korea's long-range rockets that carry satellites is technically almost identical to that of ICBMs, there is keen interest in whether related technologies can be identified. If the second-stage engine remains in good condition, it may be possible to determine whether it is a new model. While the first-stage engine is presumed to be the same as that of the ICBMs 'Hwasong-15' or 'Hwasong-17,' the second-stage engine is widely believed to be a newly developed model.

A military official stated, "Our military is continuing operations by deploying ships and aircraft to search for and recover additional debris."

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