A North Korean satellite that fell into the sea, due to the failed launch, in May, “had no military use,” the South Korean government said on Wednesday, after analyzing the remains.
South Korean experts concluded that the device “had no military use as a reconnaissance satellite,” the Defense Ministry stated.
Parts of the device were recovered from the Yellow Sea and analyzed by North American and South Korean scientists.
On May 31, North Korea tried to launch a satellite into space, but the rocket carrying it crashed due to an engine problem, according to Pyongyang.
The launch triggered missile alerts in Japan and South Korea. The South Korean searches took 36 days and mobilized a fleet of boats, dredgers and underwater divers.
North Korea explained that the development of this “spy” satellite was necessary, given the growing US military presence in the region.
Space programs are also one of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s priorities, and the country has announced its intention to launch a new satellite soon.
In North Korea, the ruling party criticized those responsible for the satellite accident, according to official media, while Washington, Seoul and Tokyo condemned the space test as a violation of UN sanctions against Pyongyang.
Analysts have said they believe space launches and intercontinental ballistic missile launches, powerful weapons that Pyongyang is prohibited from using, are based on similar technologies.
Relations between the two Koreas are undergoing a period of great tension, while talks on the denuclearization of the North have failed, with Kim Jong-un declaring that the country’s status as a nuclear power “is irreversible”.
Source: TSF
