Foreign Media Simultaneously Report Nuri Rocket Launch... "Korea Expected to Become 7th Country to Succeed"

The Korean launch vehicle Nuriho (KSLV-II) is soaring powerfully, emitting flames at the second launch pad of Naro Space Center in Goheung-gun on the 21st. Nuriho is a three-stage launch vehicle designed to deploy a 1.5-ton class practical satellite into low Earth orbit (600?800 km). It is the first domestically produced launch vehicle completed entirely with domestic technology, from engine design to manufacturing, testing, and launch operation.
/Goheung=Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dong-hyun] Major international media outlets around the world simultaneously reported on the launch of the Korean-type launch vehicle Nuriho (KSLV-II), which was launched around 5 p.m. on the 21st.

British broadcaster BBC reported the Nuriho launch news, introducing it as "making South Korea the seventh country to successfully launch a rocket into space." BBC highlighted that the success of the Nuriho launch occurred amid ongoing military competition between South Korea and North Korea, noting that both sides recently conducted test launches of new weapons. Additionally, BBC reported that South Korea plans to launch Nuriho four more times by 2027 to increase reliability.

AFP reported that South Korea launched its first domestically developed space launch vehicle to join the ranks of advanced space nations. Citing live coverage, AFP stated, "It seems to soar into the sky without any problems."

Japan's Kyodo News reported that with the Nuriho launch, South Korea has become one of the few countries capable of satellite launches. Kyodo News noted that about 16 minutes after launch, Nuriho will separate its payload at an altitude of 700 km, and if the launch is successful, South Korea will become the seventh country in the world capable of placing satellites weighing over 1 ton into orbit.

Russia's state-run Sputnik News and China's Xinhua News Agency also reported on the Nuriho launch. These media emphasized that Nuriho is South Korea's first launch vehicle developed with indigenous technology.

Development of Nuriho began in March 2010. The launch vehicle is 47.2 meters in total length and weighs 200 tons. The engine, tanks, and launch pad were all made with domestic technology.