SEOUL - The recent announcement by North Korea of its successful launch of a military reconnaissance satellite, Malligyong-1, has sparked speculation about potential technological assistance from Russia. This development comes after two failed attempts earlier this year and amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
According to Yonhap News Agency, North Korea claimed that the Chollima-1 space rocket successfully put the satellite into orbit, a significant turnaround from the earlier unsuccessful launches. The first attempt was marred by an "abnormal" startup of the second-stage engine, while the second attempt suffered booster malfunctions at the third-stage level.
Amid these developments, South Korean military officials and intelligence sources have suggested that Russia is likely to have provided technical support to North Korea. This speculation is fueled by the North's rapid improvement in its satellite technology and the context of recent interactions between the two countries.
In September, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a rare summit where Putin hinted at collaboration on satellite development. Defense Minister Shin Won-sik commented that North Korea likely overcame its engine problems with Russian assistance. Reports also indicate that an 80-ton liquid fuel engine was transferred from Russia to North Korea before this summit, and Russian engineers are believed to have entered North Korea afterward.
Hong Min, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification, has raised the possibility of Russian engineers' involvement in improving the Chollima-1 rocket. While South Korea and the United States have not confirmed the success of the launch, a successful deployment could significantly enhance North Korea's monitoring capabilities of the South, raising security concerns in the region.