North Korea claims successful launch of Malligyong-1 reconnaissance satellite

On November 22, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that the Korean National Aerospace Technology Administration (NATA) successfully launched a new rocket named "Chollima-1" carrying the "Malligyong-1" reconnaissance satellite from the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground in Cholsan County, North Phyongan Province, at 22:42 on November 21 (20:42 on the same day Hanoi time).

According to KCNA, the Chollima-1 carrier rocket moved normally along the predetermined flight path and accurately put the Malligyong-1 reconnaissance satellite into orbit at 22:54, 705 seconds after launch.

KCNA asserted that the satellite launch was Pyongyang's "legitimate right" "to bolster up its self-defense capabilities" and that the success would "considerably contribute to raising the combat readiness" of the North Korean army "in line with the security environment created inside and around the country."

Also according to KCNA, leader Kim Jong-un inspected the launch at the site and warmly congratulated all the cadres, scientists, technicians of NATA and relevant agencies for achieving great achievements, "contributing to enhancing the war deterrence capability" of North Korea, as well as "most accurately and excellently implementing the resolution of the 8th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea."

At the 9th Plenary Session of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, NATA will present a plan to continue ensuring the reconnaissance capability of the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and areas of operational interest of the Korean military through a program to “launch a number of additional reconnaissance satellites in a short period of time.”

North Korea's latest launch comes 89 days after its second attempt to put a satellite into orbit failed due to a fault in the "third-stage flight emergency detonation system" on August 24.

The first launch of the reconnaissance satellite on May 31 also failed due to the low stability of the new engine system applied to the Chollima-1 rocket and the unstable properties of the fuel.