SEOUL, May 28. /TASS/. South Korea considers North Korea's May 27 attempt to launch a reconnaissance satellite provocative, regardless of its results, as it violates UN Security Council resolutions, the South Korean presidential administration said.
The National Security Office recorded the launch of a rocket booster at 10:44 p.m. local time (1:44 p.m. GMT) and reported it to President Yoon Suk Yeol. National Security Adviser Chang Ho-jin chaired a meeting about an hour later to hear a report from the chairman of the chiefs of staff committee and discuss response measures.
"The meeting participants condemn and consider this latest launch of a 'military reconnaissance satellite' despite repeated warnings from our side and the international community as provocative behavior threatening peace and security on the Korean Peninsula, Northeast Asia and the world, as a violation of UNSC resolutions regardless of its success," the statement reads.
The North Korean National Aerospace Technology Administration has admitted that the launch of the Malligyong-1-1 reconnaissance satellite from the Sohae Satellite Launching Station on May 27 failed due to engine problems at the initial stage of the flight. The launch vehicle exploded in midair. In turn, the South Korean military reported that two minutes after the launch, the missile broke up into many fragments over North Korean waters in the Yellow Sea.
After two unsuccessful attempts in May and August, North Korea successfully launched its first reconnaissance satellite, Mallygyong-1, on November 21, 2023. The republic's authorities announced plans to launch three more similar satellites in 2024. On May 27, North Korea notified Japan of its intention to put a satellite into orbit between May 27 and June 4. Yun Seok Yeol noted that any launches using ballistic missile technology by North Korea are prohibited by UN Security Council resolutions.