North Korea has promised to follow up with several more launches in the near future
South Korean officials confirmed on Wednesday that the military spy satellite launched by North Korea on Tuesday has successfully entered orbit.
The acknowledgment from South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff stopped short of confirming the operational status of the satellite, named Malligyong-1.
“After a comprehensive analysis of its flight path and other signs, the satellite is assessed to have entered into orbit,” stated the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff.
“However, more analysis and time is needed […] to determine whether the satellite is working properly,” the officials added.
The launch occurred on Tuesday, despite North Korea’s earlier communication to neighboring Japan that the satellite would be launched between Wednesday and December 1.
This marked the third attempt by North Korean leaders to launch a military spy satellite into orbit. Previous attempts in May and August ended in failure due to technical issues.
The Malligyong-1 satellite was launched using a newly designed Chollima-1 rocket.
North Korean state media outlets have released photos of the event, showcasing images of Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un celebrating the successful launch. State media has additionally asserted that similar operations are planned to continue in the future, aiming to strengthen North Korea’s war capabilities.
“(The launch) will make a significant contribution to definitely ramping up the war preparedness of the armed forces of the Republic,” stated the Korean Central News Agency.
North Korea has pledged several more satellite launches in the near future.