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| ▲ This file 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 carrying a military reconnaissance satellite, the Malligyong-1, from Tongchang-ri on the North's west coast the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap) |
N Korea-satellite launch
No imminent sign of N. Korea's spy satellite launch: unification ministry
SEOUL, Oct. 26 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's unification ministry said Thursday there is no imminent sign of North Korea launching a military spy satellite, despite its earlier pledge to make a third attempt in October.
The North launched a military spy satellite, named the Malligyong-1, mounted on a Chollima-1 rocket in May and August, but both ended in failure. Pyongyang has announced it will make a third attempt in October.
"(In the run-up to North Korea's satellite launch), there were usually signs of a launch in advance, and the country had previously notified international organizations of its launch plan. But currently, there are no such indications," a ministry official told reporters on condition of anonymity.
The official declined to comment on speculation that North Korea may be holding off its satellite launch, as Russia has been transferring satellite technology to enable it to fix technical problems following the Sept. 13 summit between the leaders of the two nations.
"There should not be such (military technology) cooperation between North Korea and Russia. This would be in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions," he said.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un traveled to Russia's Far East last month for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin amid speculation that they may have reached an arms transaction deal for Moscow's use in war in Ukraine.
In a recent interview with Yonhap News Agency, Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho voiced doubts over whether North Korea could make a third launch attempt soon, noting that it had a short span of time to fix technical issues since its second failed attempt in August.
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