Accessibility links

Breaking News

North Korea: Botched Satellite Launch Was 'Gravest Failure'


This photo provided by South Korea's Defense Ministry shows an object salvaged by South Korea's military that is presumed to be part of the North Korean space-launch vehicle that crashed into sea following a launch failure, in West Sea, South Korea, June 15, 2023.
This photo provided by South Korea's Defense Ministry shows an object salvaged by South Korea's military that is presumed to be part of the North Korean space-launch vehicle that crashed into sea following a launch failure, in West Sea, South Korea, June 15, 2023.

North Korea has said its botched military satellite launch last month was the "gravest failure" at the ruling party's latest key meeting, state media KCNA reported Monday.

The enlarged plenary meeting was held between Friday and Sunday, ordering workers and researchers to analyze the failed military satellite launch and prepare for another in the near future.

Those in charge of the satellite launch were "heavily criticized," the report said.

It marked the eighth enlarged plenary meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), the country's ruling party.

The North Korean rocket plunged into the sea "after losing thrust due to the abnormal starting of the second-stage engine," Pyongyang said after the launch failure in an unusually candid admission of a technical problem.

North Korea also vowed it will continue to develop its nuclear capability and strengthen solidarity with other countries that oppose what it called the "U.S. strategy for world supremacy."

The meeting also discussed ensuring self-sufficiency in the food supply by increasing the country's agricultural output and meeting the annual grain production target.

Earlier this year, South Korea's Unification Ministry said the food situation in the North "seemed to have deteriorated."

The island country is under strict international sanctions over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs and its economy has been further strained by strict self-imposed border lockdowns aimed at stopping COVID-19 outbreaks.

  • 16x9 Image

    Reuters

    Reuters is a news agency founded in 1851 and owned by the Thomson Reuters Corporation based in Toronto, Canada. One of the world's largest wire services, it provides financial news as well as international coverage in over 16 languages to more than 1000 newspapers and 750 broadcasters around the globe.

XS
SM
MD
LG