“North Korea’s satellite launch failed… possibility of additional launches”

On the night of the 27th, North Korea launched a military reconnaissance satellite during the South-North Korea summit, but it failed. The photo captured by South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff on the 28th shows the explosion of North Korea’s military reconnaissance satellite captured in real-time by surveillance equipment on a South Korean patrol ship in the northwestern region. The Japanese government assessed the launch as a failure and anticipated the possibility of another launch. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga stated in a press conference on the morning of the 28th that North Korea used ballistic missile technology to carry out the satellite launch, but it is presumed that nothing was put into space after a few minutes of the launch in the skies off the west coast. He mentioned that based on the comprehensive information gathered, it is recognized that the launch failed. Suga also mentioned that North Korea announced plans to launch three more reconnaissance satellites this year and there is a possibility of further satellite launches in the future, to which the Japanese government will continue close cooperation with the U.S., South Korea, and others for necessary information gathering, analysis, and border surveillance. Suga did not provide details on the reasons for the launch failure when asked. Despite North Korea’s provocative actions, Suga affirmed the government’s plan to continue pursuing summit talks with North Korea without preconditions for the resolution of the abduction issue. However, he emphasized that North Korea’s nuclear and missile development, including the recent launch, violates relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and poses a threat to the peace and security of Japan and the international community, which cannot be tolerated. Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi also stated that in light of the comprehensive information, it is perceived that the satellite launch attempt failed, and they will continue with information analysis and evaluation while maintaining air defense readiness with Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) systems deployed in Okinawa. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff also reported that the South Korean military detected North Korea’s launch of a claimed military reconnaissance satellite from Dongchang-ri, Pyonganbuk-do, towards the southern sea on the 27th, which was followed by multiple fragments detected in the North Korean waters and evaluated as an airborne explosion. Close coordination between South Korea and the U.S. is ongoing for further detailed analysis.