Embarrassment For Kim Jong Un? North Korea's Spy Satellite Ends Up In The Sea After 'Abnormal Flight'

North Korea failed to put the first spy satellite into orbit early Wednesday (local time), leaving the country's supreme leader Kim Jong Un in an apparent embarrassment.

What Happened: According to the state media, the rocket carrying the satellite crashed into waters off the Korean Peninsula's western coast after it lost thrust following the separation of its first and second stages. 

North Korean scientists were examining the cause of the failure.

See AlsoUS Should Tell Kim Jong Un That Washington Will Use Nuclear Weapons Without ‘Hesitation:' Trump-Era National Security Chief

According to the South Korean military, the rocket had "an abnormal flight" before it fell into the waters, reported the Associated Press.  

Why It Matters: The failure is a setback for leader Kim who has repeatedly sought to enhance military capabilities amid ongoing security tensions with the U.S. and South Korea. The satellite is part of a series of advanced weaponry that Kim has openly pledged to introduce recently, signaling his ambition to enhance Pyongyang’s military capabilities. The other weapons the dictator has vowed to develop are a multi-warhead missile, a nuclear submarine, a solid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile and a hypersonic missile.

See Also: Kim Jong Un’s Mouthpiece Slams US-South Korea Summit: May Trigger ‘Worst-Ever…Nuclear War’

Meanwhile, a day before the launch, boasting about the country's first spy satellite, Pyongyang slammed U.S.-South Korea’s “reckless aggression” and said it was because of the allies that North Korea took this route. 

North Korea defends its testing activities as a defensive measure aimed at countering the intensified military exercises conducted by Washington and Seoul, which it perceives as preparations for an invasion.

Read Next: Trump Scratched ‘Made In South Korea' Sticker Off Elton John CD Before Giving It To Kim Jong Un

Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
Comments
Loading...
Posted In: NewsPoliticsGlobalGeneralKim Jong Un
Benzinga simplifies the market for smarter investing

Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.

Join Now: Free!