North Korea plans to launch second spy satellite in coming days: Japan

Tokyo: North Korea has informed Japan’s Coast Guard about its intention to launch a satellite in the upcoming days, as reported by Japanese media on Tuesday.

The scheduled launch, expected to occur between August 24 and 31, is believed to be a second attempt at deploying a military reconnaissance satellite. North Korea previously tried this in May, but unfortunately, it ended in failure, according to Kyodo news agency.

In May, North Korea made an attempt to place what it referred to as its first military reconnaissance satellite into orbit. Unfortunately, the rocket carrying it experienced difficulties and plunged into the sea shortly after liftoff. North Korea explained that it was developing this spy satellite in response to the increasing presence of the US military in the region.

The United States, along with South Korea and Japan, condemned North Korea’s satellite launch attempt in May, considering it a breach of United Nations resolutions that prohibit the nuclear-armed state from using ballistic missile technology.

Experts have pointed out that there is a significant overlap in the technology used for intercontinental ballistic missiles and launching satellites into space.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has placed a high priority on developing a military spy satellite.

South Korea’s intelligence agency recently informed lawmakers that Pyongyang might attempt another reconnaissance satellite launch in late August or early September, according to Yonhap news agency. This launch is timed to occur before the 75th anniversary of the regime’s founding on September 9, as reported by Yonhap.

The failure of the satellite launch in May led to a complex 36-day operation in South Korea, involving naval rescue ships, mine sweepers, and deep-sea divers to recover the rocket parts and the satellite. These retrieved components were then analyzed by experts in South Korea and the United States.