[2nd Report] JCS: “No Military Utility in North Korea’s Satellite”

Our military has reached the final conclusion that the first military reconnaissance satellite launched by North Korea from Dongchang-ri last May has no military utility whatsoever. This comes 36 days after recovering debris from the North Korean space launch vehicle.

On the 5th, the Joint Chiefs of Staff announced, "The search and recovery operation for debris from the North Korean space launch vehicle will be terminated as of today."

On May 31, North Korea launched the Cheollima-1 type space launch vehicle carrying the Manrikyung-1 satellite from Dongchang-ri, Pyonganbuk-do. However, the launch vehicle failed to ignite the second stage after separating the first stage and crashed into the sea about 200 km west of Eocheongdo, Gunsan, Jeonbuk. Approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes after the launch, the military discovered floating debris presumed to be from the Cheollima-1 in the fall area, and on the 15th, recovered the second stage of the three-stage Cheollima-1 rocket. Subsequently, the Manrikyung-1 satellite was also retrieved. Through a detailed investigation of this debris, South Korea and the United States have been assessing North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) technology as well as the level of their satellite manufacturing capabilities.

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