The following is a chronology of major events leading to North Korea's first attempt to put into orbit what it called its first military spy satellite.
The North launched what it claims to be a "space launch vehicle" southward Wednesday, but it fell into the Yellow Sea after an "abnormal" flight, the South Korean military said.
The North confirmed the failure but said it plans to conduct a second launch as soon as possible.
January 2021 ― North Korea lays out plans to develop a military spy satellite as one of its key defense projects during the eighth congress of the ruling Worker's Party of Korea (WPK).
Feb. 27, 2022 ― North Korea launches a ballistic missile and announces the next day that it has carried out an "important test" to develop a reconnaissance satellite.
March 5, 2022 ― North Korea says it has conducted another "important test" for developing a "reconnaissance satellite."
March 10, 2022 ― North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited the country's space development agency and vowed to put "a lot of" military satellites into orbit in the next five years, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
North Korea's spy satellite launch fails as rocket falls into sea 2023-05-31 15:59 | North Korea NK's attempt to launch 1st spy satellite fails after 'abnormal' flight: S. Korean military 2023-05-31 07:07 | North Korea
An undated photo, released on March 11, 2022 by the official North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), shows Kim Jong-un, center, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic's Republic of Korea inspecting the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground in Tongchang-ri, North Pyongan Province, North Korea. EPA-Yonhap |
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