[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] North Korea Satellite Recovery Success... Will Technical Level Be Revealed?

Successful Recovery of Object Presumed to Be North Korea's Failed Military Reconnaissance Satellite

North Korea is reported to have recently recovered an object presumed to be a military reconnaissance satellite that it attempted to launch on a space launch vehicle at the end of last month but failed. The military is currently analyzing the satellite-like object at the Defense Agency for Technology and Quality (ADD) in Daejeon.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to government officials on the 26th, the Navy last week retrieved an object believed to be the satellite ‘Manlilkyung 1’ that was mounted on North Korea’s space launch vehicle ‘Chollima 1’ launched on the 31st of last month using ballistic missile technology in the West Sea international waters.

If this object is indeed the satellite and is in relatively intact condition, it is expected that the level of North Korea’s reconnaissance satellite technology can be specifically assessed. On the 31st of last month, North Korea launched the reconnaissance satellite ‘Manlilkyung 1’ aboard the launch vehicle ‘Chollima 1’ from the Dongchang-ri West Sea Satellite Launching Station in Cholsan County, North Pyongan Province.

The space launch vehicle’s first and second stages separated, and then it fell into the West Sea. During this process, about 180 pieces of debris were detected by Aegis destroyers and Air Force radars. After the first stage booster separated, the second stage booster malfunctioned and fell into the sea about 200 km west of Eocheongdo, Gunsan, North Jeolla Province. Our military authorities immediately located a cylindrical object presumed to be the second stage booster of Chollima 1 on the day of the launch vehicle’s crash and began a recovery operation. The military recovered the second stage body on the night of the 15th but did not find the mounted satellite.

The South Korean and U.S. military authorities are jointly analyzing the second stage body and the object presumed to be the reconnaissance satellite. On the South Korean side, experts from the Ministry of National Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Navy, and ADD are participating, while on the U.S. side, personnel from various agencies including the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) under the Department of Defense are involved in the analysis.

After North Korea acknowledged the failure of the ‘Manlilkyung 1’ launch and faced international criticism, it retaliated by declaring that it would not notify related schedules for the second launch. Currently, military authorities are reportedly continuously monitoring not only the Dongchang-ri area in North Pyongan Province where North Korea previously launched satellites but also other locations, considering these circumstances. In particular, factories where North Korea produces, tests, and assembles various launch vehicles are known to be key surveillance targets.

Some speculate that with most of North Korea entering the monsoon season, it will face difficulties in launching various ballistic missiles, including the ‘Chollima 1’.

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