North Korea’s attempt to launch a military reconnaissance satellite failed on Wednesday. The launch rocket crashed into the sea due to a malfunction of the craft, North Korean state media report.
The launch was North Korea’s sixth attempt to launch a spy satellite and its first since 2016. The aim was to put the satellite into orbit. For example, North Korea wants to keep a closer eye on the activities of the United States.
The US has “strongly” condemned the launch. The move “increases tensions and threatens to destabilize the security situation in the region and beyond,” a White House spokesman said.
The launch was also condemned by the United Nations. According to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the launch is in violation of Security Council agreements.
North Korea had previously announced that it would launch a military reconnaissance satellite between May 31 and June 11. The Asian country warned that debris from the missile would fall into the Yellow Sea and Pacific Ocean.
Seoul residents were ‘wrongly’ given an emergency warning
The launch rocket had been fired to the south. As a result of the launch, air raid sirens were activated in both the South Korean capital of Seoul and the Japanese archipelago of Okinawa.
Seoul residents received a message on their mobile phones shortly after the launch. They had to prepare for an evacuation, with “children and the elderly coming first”. The emergency reports were withdrawn when it was clear that the launch would not endanger the public.
The mayor of Seoul apologized for the confusion caused by the emergency warning. He said the warning may have been an overreaction, but not a mistake. South Korea’s Ministry of Security said the emergency messages had been sent in error.
2023-05-31 05:12:25
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