N. Korea's attempt to launch another spy satellite fails

SEOUL, May 28 (AJU PRESS) - North Korea's attempt to launch a space rocket carrying a military spy satellite ended in failure, the renegade country said Tuesday. The attempt came just several hours after Pyongyang informed of its plan to launch a satellite into orbit by June 4. "The launch of the new satellite carrier rocket failed when it exploded in mid-air during the flight of the first stage," the North's state-run Korean News Agency reported. Earlier,

May 28, 2024

N. Korea to launch another satellite this week

SEOUL, May 27 (AJU PRESS) - North Korea is poised to launch a space rocket carrying a military spy satellite sometime this week, Japan's news agency Kyodo News and public broadcaster NHK reported Monday, citing the Cabinet Secretariat of Japan. The launch plan came just hours before President Yoon Suk Yeol is about to hold a trilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Seoul on Monday. Japan has confirmed that North Korea inf

May 27, 2024

N. Korean propaganda song praising Kim Jong-un goes viral on TikTok

SEOUL, May 17 (AJU PRESS) - A propaganda song praising North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has gone viral online. Intrigued by its up-tempo beat and repetitive rhythm, combined with unfamiliar and laughable background scenes, the three-minute clip for "Friendly Father," first uploaded in April, has garnered 880,600 views on TikTok as of this week, with heart emojis next to the portly leader's name. About 155,000 people have clicked on another video introducing the song wit

May 20, 2024

N. Korean leader inspects test-firing of new multiple rocket launcher shell

SEOUL, April 26 (AJU PRESS) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has reportedly overseen a test-firing of a new 240-millimeter (9.4 inches) shell for multiple rocket launchers (MRLs), which can target South Korea’s capital area. The state-run Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday Kim attended the evaluation of the new precision-guided MRL rocket the previous day. The North announced the development of the weapon in February. During the test, Kim said the new rocke

April 26, 2024

N. Korean leader praises accuracy of short-range ballistic missiles

SEOUL, April 23 (AJU PRESS) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has praised the accuracy of Pyongyang's short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) after guiding a nuclear counterattack drill on Monday. Kim said that the drill was part of efforts to enhance its tactical nuclear strike capabilities, which are being developed as deterrents against hostile activities by South Korea and its allied forces. According to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, North Korea fired multiple SR

April 23, 2024

South Korea's second homegrown spy satellite successfully launched

SEOUL, April 08 (AJU PRESS) - South Korea has successfully launched its second domestically built military reconnaissance satellite on Sunday. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 7:17 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, separating the first and second stages as planned after 2 minutes and 18 seconds. This launch marks a significant step in South Korea's program to acquire five spy satellites by 2025, enhancing its ability to monitor North Korea

April 8, 2024

N. Korea fires missile into East Sea

SEOUL, April 02 (AJU PRESS) - North Korea has fired a missile into the East Sea, South Korea's Joint Chief of Staff said on Tuesday. This is Pyongyang's first missile test fire in 15 days after North Korea carried out a firing drill for ballistic projectiles on February 18. "We detected a projectile, suspected of a mid-range ballistic missile, that was launched from an area near Pyongyang at 6:53 a.m. (2153 GMT) this morning into the East Sea," The Joint Chief of

April 2, 2024

N. Korea leader Kim Jong-un inspects test fire of submarine-launched cruise missile

SEOUL -- North Korean Kim Jong-un has personally inspected the test fire of a submarine-launched strategic cruise missile called "Pulhwasal-3-31." Pyongyang has previously fired the cruise missile with a codename meaning "fire arrow" in Korean, into the West Sea, also known as the Yellow Sea, on January 24. On January 25, North Korea's state news agency the Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Pyongyang's Missile Administration conducted the

January 29, 2024

Pyongyang confirms test launch of new strategic cruise missiles

SEOUL -- Pyongyang has confirmed the test launch of new strategic cruise missiles called "Pulhwasal-3-31." North Korea's cruise missiles with a codename meaning "fire arrow" in Korean, were launched into the West Sea, also known as the Yellow Sea, on January 24. According to South Korea's military headquarters, North Korea fired multiple cruise missiles into the West Sea. The Korea Central News Agency (KCNA), Pyongyang's state-operated news agency,

January 25, 2024

Pyongyang claims successful test launch of solid propellant hypersonic ballistic missile

SEOUL -- North Korea has claimed that a solid propellant hypersonic ballistic missile, launched from a facility near Pyongyang on January 14, successfully achieved its target goal of verifying the maneuverability of the ultra-fast rocket. An "intermediate-range solid-fuel ballistic missile" (IRBM) is a new type of intermediate-range missile that covers distances from 1,000 to 5,000 kilometers (3,106 miles). The missile, which uses solid fuel, is known for quicker launch

January 15, 2024