On Tuesday, North Korea informed Japan’s Coast Guard that it wants to launch a satellite in the coming days.
North Korea attempted to launch its first military spy satellite into orbit in May, but the rocket carrying it crashed into the sea minutes later.
North Korea’s satellite launch in May was condemned by the United States, South Korea, and Japan as a violation of United Nations resolutions preventing the nuclear-armed state from deploying ballistic missile technology.
The development of intercontinental ballistic missiles and space launch capabilities has significant technological overlap.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has prioritized the creation of a military spy satellite.
According to the Yonhap news agency, South Korea’s spy agency told lawmakers last week that Pyongyang may launch a reconnaissance satellite in late August or early September.
As per the report, the launch is planned for September 9, the 75th anniversary of the regime’s inception.
The satellite’s collapse in May triggered a 36-day South Korean salvage effort including a fleet of naval rescue ships, mine sweepers, and deep-sea divers.
Experts in South Korea and the United States examined the recovered rocket and the satellite element.
Also read: North Korea: US-South Korea Drills Could Start A Thermonuclear War
