North Korea: Spy satellite launch fails, panic in Seoul

A North Korean rocket launch failed on Wednesday, May 31. Supposed to place the country's first spy satellite into orbit, the projectile crashed into the Yellow Sea due to the malfunction of its engine. Pyongyang had warned that a launch would take place in the coming days, but Japanese and South Korean authorities have issued evacuation or shelter orders. In Seoul, the awakening was particularly stressful for the capital's nearly ten million residents.

Image of the launch of a North Korean rocket during an information program at Seoul Station, South Korea, Wednesday, May 31, 2023. AP - Ahn Young-joon

Text by: RFI Follow

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With our correspondent in Seoul, Nicolas Rocca

At around half-past six, sirens and messages on mobile phones sent a "war alert" urging people to prepare to evacuate by giving priority to children and vulnerable people. Even though the panic lasted only about twenty minutes, the confusion and worry were palpable. Some residents said they were packing their bags to leave the city.

The technology used to launch a rocket is the same as for ballistic missiles, which may partially explain the broadcast of the alert. But in nearly three years in Seoul, this is the first time this has been heard, and yet North Korea fired a record number of missiles over the period. A malfunction of the warning system that is already talking in the capital, because the trajectory of the rocket was very far from the capital and that Pyongyang had warned of the imminence of the launch.

Wake up in panic at 6:32 for many in Seoul this morning. Warning message to prepare the population to evacuate as South Korea claims that Pyongyang has fired its first spy satellite. pic.twitter.com/jMLlxjOGWp

— Nicolas Rocca (@lenicorocca) May 30, 2023

What causes the launch failure?

We know the name of the rocket, Chollima 1-. The engine malfunctioned at the time of the separation of the first stage, according to North Korean state media, and so it ended up in the Yellow Sea, about 200km from South Korea. The South Korean military has recovered debris from the rocket that was to carry and put into orbit the regime's first spy satellite.

This is one of Kim Jong-un's military objectives, as it would provide real-time information on the activities of the armies of Seoul and Washington, which are increasingly active as the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War approaches this summer.

>> READ ALSO: United States and South Korea launch new joint military exercises in Pocheon

Air Raid Sirens heard minutes ago in both the City of Seoul, South Korea and on the Japanese Island of Okinawa with both of the Alerts stating that Residents should Shelter-in-Place and await possible orders to Evacuate. pic.twitter.com/CzCWm9LGhZ

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) May 30, 2023

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  • South Korea
  • North Korea
  • Japan
  • Defense
  • Kim Jong-un