(LEAD) N. Korea says it successfully placed spy satellite into orbit, plans to launch more

▲ This photo provided by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency on June 1, 2023, shows the launch of the North's new "Chollima-1" rocket, allegedly carrying a military reconnaissance satellite, "Malligyong-1," from Tongchang-ri, North Pyongan Province, at 6:29 a.m. the previous day. The projectile fell into waters some 200 kilometers west of the South's southwestern island of Eocheong following its flight over waters west of the border island of Baengnyeong. In just about 2 1/2 hours after the launch, the North confirmed its failure, citing the "abnormal starting of the second-stage engine." (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

(LEAD) N Korea-spy satellite

(LEAD) N. Korea says it successfully placed spy satellite into orbit, plans to launch more

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with more details, background with English report; ADDS photo)

SEOUL, Nov. 22 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Wednesday it has successfully placed a spy satellite into orbit and will launch several more satellites "in a short span of time" to step up its surveillance capability on South Korea.

The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said that the North launched a reconnaissance satellite called Malligyong-1 on a Chollima-1 rocket from a launch site in Tongchang-ri on the country's west coast at 10:42 p.m. Tuesday.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un observed the launch at the site and congratulated officials, scientists and technicians associated with the launch preparations, according to KCNA.

"The carrier rocket 'Chollima-1' flew normally along the preset flight track and accurately put the reconnaissance satellite 'Malligyong-1' on its orbit at 22:54:13, 705s after the launch," KCNA said in an English-language report.

North Korea defended the satellite launch as its "legitimate" right to strengthen "self-defensive capabilities" and vowed to launch several additional spy satellites "in a short span of time."

The plan will be presented at the 9th Plenary Meeting of the 8th Workers' Party of Korea's Central Committee, the report said, which is expected to be held later this year.

Tuesday's launch marks the North's third attempt to place a satellite into orbit following two failed launches in May and August, respectively.

The North blamed the first failed attempt on an abnormal startup of the second-stage engine, while attributing the second failure on an error in the emergency blasting system during the third-stage of flight.

Seoul officials said previously that North Korea could try another launch with technological assistance from Russia following Kim's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in September at the Vostochny Cosmodrone in Russia's Far East.

During Kim's visit, Putin told Russian media that his country would help North Korea build satellites.

Shortly after the announcement, the United States "strongly" condemned the North's satellite launch as a "brazen" violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions.

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