SEOUL/TOKYO: An announcement has been made that North Korea intends to send a satellite into orbit sometime between Thursday, August 24, and the end of August 31. This comes as the nation strives to successfully launch a spy satellite following a previous attempt in May that ended in failure, as per a report released on Tuesday.
The Japanese coast guard received notification from North Korea regarding its plan. The notification specified the designation of three maritime danger zones for the launch. Two of these zones are positioned to the west of the Korean Peninsula, while the third is situated to the east of Luzon Island in the Philippines, according to a report from Kyodo News, cited by Yonhap News Agency.
It is believed that this plan represents another attempt to deploy a military reconnaissance satellite, similar to the one North Korea tried to launch in May. Unfortunately, the previous attempt was unsuccessful, resulting in the satellite, named Malligyong-1, crashing into the Yellow Sea due to an abnormal start of the second-stage engine, according to North Korean state media.
North Korea has already informed the International Maritime Organization (IMO) about its upcoming satellite launch. A representative from South Korea's Unification Ministry confirmed this aspect.
Last week, South Korea's intelligence agency revealed to lawmakers that North Korea might launch a reconnaissance satellite either in late August or early September. This timing is notable as it falls just ahead of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the North Korean regime on September 9.
Interestingly, the launch window coincides with the ongoing Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) joint military exercise between South Korea and the United States. This annual 11-day exercise started on Monday. It's worth noting that North Korea has consistently criticized these joint drills, branding them as rehearsals for a potential invasion.
Among the array of high-tech weaponry North Korea has vowed to develop, a military spy satellite holds a prominent place. This commitment is alongside their ambitions to create solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles and even a nuclear-powered submarine.
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