Pyongyang conducts ‘important test’ of spy satellite system
North Korea yesterday said it had conducted another reconnaissance satellite test, launching its second rocket with ballistic missile capability in less than a week as global attention focuses on the Ukraine crisis and South Korea prepares for elections.
Pyongyang’s National Aerospace Development Administration and the Academy of Defence Science conducted an “important test on Saturday under the plan of developing a reconnaissance satellite”, the Korean Central News Agency said.
The launch was involved in the testing of data transmission and reception, control command and other ground-based control systems, the state news agency said.
North Korea has long said it is entitled under international law to have a civilian space programme, even though the United States and others have accused Pyongyang of using a satellite programme as a cover to bolster its ballistic missiles for the military.
South Korea said its neighbour on the North fired what appeared to be a ballistic missile from an area near Pyongyang’s international airport at 8.48am on Saturday towards the sea off the country’s east coast. It flew about 270km and reached an altitude of about 560km.
The US-Indo Pacific Command and the South’s presidential office condemned the latest launch, urging Pyongyang to refrain from making additional provocations.
Despite biting international sanctions over its nuclear weapons programme, Pyongyang has ignored US offers of talks since high-profile negotiations between leader Kim Jong-un and then US president Donald Trump collapsed in 2019.
Instead of diplomacy, Pyongyang has doubled down on Kim’s drive to modernise its military, warning in January that it could abandon a self-imposed moratorium on testing long-range missiles and nuclear weapons.
The launch on Saturday also drew condemnation from Japan.