North Korea Announces Another Reconnaissance Satellite Relaunch... Targeting the ROK-US-Japan Summit?

"Will continue to launch satellites at arbitrary times"
Possibility of targeting ROK-US-Japan summit and Ulchi exercise

North Korea, which failed to launch a military reconnaissance satellite at the end of May, announced that it will "continue to launch satellites at arbitrary times." Attention is focused on whether this is aimed at the upcoming first-ever standalone trilateral summit between South Korea, the U.S., and Japan scheduled for this month or the 'Eulji Exercise' conducted in conjunction with the South Korea-U.S. joint military drills.

According to the August issue of the external propaganda monthly magazine 'Geumsugangsan' released by North Korea on the 9th, the North praised past satellite launch cases as "miracles among miracles" and vowed to relaunch satellites. The article commemorates the launch of 'Kwangmyongsong-1,' which North Korea claimed as its first satellite in August 1998, but it did not specify whether the satellites to be launched in the future would be reconnaissance satellites.

North Korea Releases Footage of 'Failed' Satellite Launch

However, after the long-range rocket 'Chollima-1' carrying the reconnaissance satellite 'Malligyong-1' crashed at the end of May, North Korea repeatedly declared the 'relaunch of reconnaissance satellites' through statements by Kim Yo-jong, Vice Director of the Workers' Party, in early June and reports from the 8th Workers' Party plenary meeting. Therefore, the satellite that North Korea said it will launch "at arbitrary times in the future" is interpreted as referring to the relaunch of this reconnaissance satellite.

In particular, with the South Korea-U.S.-Japan summit scheduled for the 18th and the South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises from the 21st to the 24th, linked to the South Korean government's 'Eulji Exercise,' attention is focused on whether North Korea will attempt to relaunch the reconnaissance satellite during this period. According to North Korea specialist media NK News and others, rocket engine test activities were detected at the Dongchang-ri West Sea Satellite Launching Station in Cholsan County, North Pyongan Province, between the 7th and 16th of last month.

Meanwhile, through the magazine article, North Korea recalled its satellite launch history and the establishment of the National Space Development Bureau, claiming that with the successful launch of the self-proclaimed Earth observation satellite 'Kwangmyongsong-4' in 2016, it "entered the ranks of space powers." However, Kwangmyongsong-4 only succeeded in orbit insertion and was never detected transmitting or receiving signals with ground stations, and it disappeared after falling last month. The only satellite currently orbiting North Korea is 'Kwangmyongsong-3 Unit 2,' launched in 2012, but it is also a 'dead satellite' whose operational status has not been confirmed.

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