SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean officials promised Monday to push for a second attempt to launch a spy satellite, calling their country’s first, and failed, launch last month “the most serious” mistake of the year and harshly criticising those involved.
A North Korean rocket carrying a military reconnaissance satellite failed shortly after liftoff in late May, putting a halt to leader Kim Jong Un’s quest to acquire a space-based monitoring system to better watch the United States and South Korea.
The failed launch and North Korea’s efforts to modernise its military arsenals were widely discussed at a three-day ruling party meeting that concluded on Sunday, with Kim and other top officials in attendance.
According to a long Korean Central News Agency dispatch on the meeting, no one spoke, but a report to the meeting “bitterly criticised the officials who irresponsibly conducted the preparations for (the) satellite launch.”
The study outlined tasks for authorities and scientists to learn the lessons of the failed launch, determine what caused the rocket to fall, and conduct a successful launch in a short period of time, according to KCNA.
It did not specify when North Korea would attempt another missile. However, South Korea’s spy service previously told lawmakers that North Korea would most likely need “more than several weeks” to figure out what went wrong with the failed launch.
Monitoring groups in North Korea have reported no purges or dismissals of scientists or others engaged in the failed launch. Observers say Kim has treated scientists and technicians in the country’s weapons development programme well, despite orchestrating a succession of high-profile executions or purges of key officials in the early stages of his administration.
A spy satellite is one of several high-tech military weapons Kim has openly pledged to obtain in order to deal with what he refers to as US-led aggression. Kim also wants a multi-warhead missile, a nuclear submarine, a solid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile, and a hypersonic missile.
North Korea has conducted over 100 missile tests since the beginning of 2022, some of which were tied to the development of a spy satellite and other formidable weapons on Kim’s wish list.
North Korea conducted the first solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile test in April. Because the fuel in such missiles is already loaded inside, they are more mobile than liquid propellant rockets and thus more difficult for outsiders to detect before launch.
During the party conference, Politburo members claimed “big strides” in efforts to enhance North Korea’s arsenal of nuclear weapons and missiles, which they said backed the government’s policy of sustaining “frontal confrontation” with its foes, according to KCNA.