(LEAD) N. Korea launches what it claims to be spy satellite southward: JCS

▲ This photo provided by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency on June 1, 2023, shows the launch of the North's new "Chollima-1" rocket, allegedly carrying a military reconnaissance satellite, "Malligyong-1," from Tongchang-ri on the North's west coast at 6:29 a.m. the previous day. The projectile fell into waters some 200 kilometers west of the South's southwestern island of Eocheong following its flight over the waters far west of the border island of Baengnyeong. In just about 2 1/2 hours after the launch, the North confirmed its failure, citing the "abnormal starting of the second-stage engine." (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

(LEAD) N Korea-spy satellite

(LEAD) N. Korea launches what it claims to be spy satellite southward: JCS

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details throughout; ADDS byline)

By Kim Eun-jung and Chae Yun-hwan

SEOUL, Nov. 21 (Yonhap) -- North Korea launched what it claims to be a military spy satellite southward Tuesday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, following two failed attempts earlier this year.

The JCS gave no further details, including whether what is believed to be a three-stage rocket carrying the satellite separated successfully, whether the satellite was put into orbit and where the launch took place.

Tuesday's launch came hours before the beginning of a 10-day launch window that the North had given Japan earlier as a safety warning, saying it would fire a satellite-carrying space rocket sometime between Wednesday and Dec. 1.

The latest launch came 89 days after the North's second attempt to put a satellite into orbit failed due to an engine problem on Aug. 24. The first attempt failed on May 31 due to a failure in the second stage rocket.

South Korea has warned North Korea not to proceed with another launch, which would violate U.N. Security Council resolutions that ban Pyongyang's use of ballistic missile technology.

Earlier in the day, the presidential office suggested that a 2018 inter-Korean military tension reduction agreement could be suspended in the event North Korea goes ahead with its planned space rocket launch.

The agreement calls for setting up buffer zones and no-fly zones near the inter-Korean border to ban artillery firing, naval drills and surveillance activities to prevent clashes between the two Koreas.

Seoul and Washington have expressed concerns over Pyongyang's preparations for a spy satellite launch with technological assistance from Russia following a rare summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin in September.

A military spy satellite is among the high-tech weapons that the North has vowed to develop to enhance its surveillance capability, which also include solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles and a nuclear-powered submarine.

Tuesday's launch came hours after the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier arrived at a naval base in the southeastern city of Busan.

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