SEOUL: South Korea's military has stated that a North Korean military spy satellite, purportedly launched by Pyongyang, is believed to have successfully entered orbit. However, further analysis is required to determine its operational status.
According to Yonhap News Agency, The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) in South Korea made this assessment following North Korea's claim of having successfully orbited the satellite on its third attempt this year. "After a comprehensive analysis of its flight path and other signs, the satellite is assessed to have entered into orbit," the JCS stated. However, they noted that more time and analysis are needed to confirm whether the satellite is functioning as intended.
The North launched the Malligyong-1 satellite on the newly developed Chollima-1 rocket from the Tongchang-ri launch site on the country's west coast at 10:42 p.m. on Tuesday, as reported by the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Earlier, the KCNA announced that the satellite had captured images of U.S. military bases in Guam and transmitted them back to Pyongyang, a claim that adds to the regional security concerns.