North Korea Announces Second Launch, When Will the Relaunch Occur?

"May Relaunch on the 11th of Next Month as Initially Announced"
Galaxy 3 Rocket in 2012 Took 8 Months Until Relaunch

North Korea declared that it would conduct a second launch in a short period of time after the failure of its first military reconnaissance satellite No. 1 launch on the morning of the 31st of last month. Experts believe that the re-launch is likely to take place by the 11th of next month, which was the initially announced deadline, or sometime within next month.

The space launch vehicle 'Chollima-1' launched by North Korea at 6:27 a.m. that day fell into the sea west of Eocheongdo in the West Sea due to a defect in the second-stage rocket engine. This launch vehicle was carrying the military reconnaissance satellite 'Malligyong-1'.

The North Korean National Space Development Bureau stated that day, "We will specifically investigate and clarify the serious defect, urgently devise scientific and technological measures to overcome it, conduct various tests, and carry out the second launch as soon as possible."

On the 31st, when North Korea launched a space projectile southward, citizens in the waiting room of Seoul Station, Jung-gu, Seoul, were watching related news. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Shin Jong-woo, Secretary General of the Korea Defense and Security Forum, said on YTN's 'News Live' that "When the 'Unha-3' launch failed in April 2012, the re-launch was in December. However, in this case, North Korea has heavily publicized its intention to launch a military reconnaissance satellite into space, so the period will be much shorter than in 2012," adding, "It probably won't take several months, and it seems they will re-launch soon."

Yang Moo-jin, President of the University of North Korean Studies, said in an interview with YTN's 'NewsN Issue' that "If it is early, it could be before the 11th of next month as North Korea has already announced; if a bit late, then within next month; and if even later, then within this year," adding, "Since Chairman Kim Jong-un was once shocked by the failure, he will likely conduct thorough verification. I think there is a high possibility of a launch within June."

A presidential office official also told the media, "There is a sufficient possibility that North Korea will launch again before the 11th of next month, as initially announced," and added, "We are also preparing with that possibility in mind."

Earlier, North Korea notified the International Maritime Organization (IMO) that it would launch a military reconnaissance satellite between 0:00 on that day and 0:00 on the 11th of next month.

However, the timing of the re-launch could be delayed depending on the investigation into the cause of the launch failure. According to Secretary General Shin's explanation, the 'Unha-3' launched by North Korea on April 13, 2012, took eight months until the re-launch. The Unha-3, which carried the artificial satellite 'Kwangmyongsong-3,' failed to separate the first stage immediately after the first launch and exploded in mid-air. During the second launch on December 12 of the same year, the Unha-3 successfully separated all three stages and placed 'Kwangmyongsong-3-2' into orbit.