North Korea fires ‘space launch vehicle’

SEOUL: North Korea launched its purported spy satellite on Wednesday, the South’s military said, prompting confusion in Seoul as the city briefly issued an evacuation warning in error.

South Korea’s military detected the launch of what Pyongyang has described as a military reconnaissance satellite from south of the “Tongchang County area of North Pyongan Province in North Korea, at around 6:29 today,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

“Our military is checking whether it is flying normally,” they added. The military is analysing whether “what North Korea has claimed as a space launch vehicle” – ostensibly intended to carry a satellite into orbit – may have broken up in mid-air or crashed after vanishing from radar early, the Yonhap News Agency reported.

The “projectile disappeared from radar before reaching expected drop point,” Yonhap said, citing the Joint Chiefs, adding that the military was looking at the possibility of it “exploding mid-air or crashing”.

North Korea on Tuesday confirmed it planned to launch what it called “military reconnaissance satellite No. 1” before June 11, having told Japan of its plans a day earlier.

Tokyo and Seoul strongly criticised the proposed launch, which they said would violate UN sanctions barring Pyongyang from any tests using ballistic missile technology.

Because long-range rockets and space launchers share the same technology, analysts say developing the ability to put a satellite in orbit would provide Pyongyang with cover for testing banned intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).