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North Korea announced on Thursday that its second attempt in three months to orbit a spy satellite had failed, and promised to try again in October.

According to the official KCNA news agency, the launch took place at dawn on August 24 in Sohae, North Phyongan province. The first and second phases of the rocket’s flight were normal, but the launch failed during the third phase due to an error in the emergency ignition system.

The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that the rocket was launched towards the south and “crossed international airspace” above the Yellow Sea.

The South Korean government condemned the launch, criticizing North Korea for wasting scarce resources on reckless provocations while blaming lower-level officials for the country’s economic situation. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated that nothing was successfully placed in orbit this time, considering it a failure. He also emphasized that such behavior goes against UN resolutions and has already lodged a firm protest.

Seoul called this launch “illegal” as it violates UN sanctions prohibiting North Korea from conducting tests using ballistic technology, which is used for both space launches and missile tests.

Despite the failure, this launch is seen as a blatant violation of several UN Security Council resolutions, increasing tensions and destabilizing the security situation in the region and beyond.

The launch occurred just days after the US, South Korean, and Japanese leaders held a summit in the US, where North Korea’s nuclear threats were on the agenda. It also coincides with the large-scale US-South Korean military exercises, Ulchi Freedom Shield, which began on Monday and are scheduled to continue until August 31.

On May 31, North Korea attempted to launch what it described as its first military reconnaissance satellite, but the rocket carrying it crashed into the Yellow Sea minutes after liftoff.

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