North Korea says satellite launch suffered malfunction

Asia

by DZRH News31 May 2023

People watch a TV broadcasting a news report on North Korea firing what it called a space satellite toward the south, in Seoul, South Korea, May 31, 2023. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

SEOUL/TOKYO, May 31 (Reuters) - A satellite launch conducted by North Korea on Wednesday ended in failure after the rocket's second stage malfunctioned, sending the craft plunging into the sea, North Korean state media said.

The new "Chollima-1" satellite launch rocket failed due to instability in the engine and fuel system, state news agency KCNA reported.

The launch was the nuclear-armed state's sixth satellite launch attempt and the first since 2016. It was supposed to launch North Korea's first spy satellite into orbit.

[Reporting by Hyonhee Shin, Ju-min Park and Josh Smith in Seoul, and Chang-Ran Kim in Tokyo; Additional reporting by David Brunnstrom in Washington; Editing by Chris Reese, Sonali Paul and Christian Schmollinger]

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