Passengers watch a TV broadcasting a news report on North Korea firing a space rocket, at a railway station in Seoul, South Korea, August 24, 2023. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File photo Acquire Licensing Rights
SEOUL, Nov 21 (Reuters) – North Korea appears to be preparing for its third attempt this year at launching a reconnaissance satellite, a move that may prove as controversial as the nuclear-armed country’s weapons tests.
Earlier attempts on May 31 – North Korea’s first such launch since 2016 – and Aug. 24 ended in fiery failures when its new Chollima-1 rockets crashed into the sea.
North Korea has notified Japan it plans to launch a satellite between Wednesday and Dec. 1, prompting criticism from Japan and South Korea who say it would violate a U.N. ban on Pyongyang’s missile development.
Here’s what we know about North Korea’s race for space, and why it’s so controversial:
SPACE AMBITIONS
Since 1998 North Korea has launched six satellites, two of which appeared to have successfully reached orbit, and the last of which was in 2016.
International observers said that satellite seemed to be under control, but there is lingering debate over whether it had sent any transmissions.
Experts…
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