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North Korea recently announced its failed attempt at launching a spy satellite, following South Korea’s detection of a long-range rocket sent from the country. This marks North Korea’s second failure, with plans for a third attempt in October. The goal of these attempts is for leader Kim Jong Un to build a space-based surveillance system to track the military activities of the U.S. and South Korea.

According to state news agency KCNA, while the flights of the rocket’s first and second stages were normal, the launch failed due to an error in the emergency blasting system during the third-stage flight. However, KCNA stated that this incident does not pose a significant issue in terms of the reliability of the rocket’s engines and system.

The launch prompted Japan to issue an emergency warning to its residents in Okinawa, but the warning was lifted after approximately 20 minutes. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff detected the rocket off the Korean Peninsula’s west coast, where North Korea’s main space launch center is located.

It is worth noting that the launch occurred just three days after the U.S. and South Korea commenced their annual joint military drills, which North Korea perceives as rehearsals for an invasion. North Korea considers these drills as increasing the threat of nuclear war between countries. In response to the launch, South Korea strengthened its defense systems and maintained close communication with the United States.

In May, both the U.S. and South Korea condemned North Korea’s first launch, which violated United Nations agreements prohibiting the use of ballistic missiles. South Korea’s spy agency recently reported that North Korea is preparing for tests involving intercontinental ballistic missiles and other weapons.

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