Anchor: A day after successfully conducting a surprise launch of its first military spy satellite, North Korea unveiled footage of the event. The video contained evidence that Pyongyang has enhanced the propulsion capability of the launch vehicle following two prior attempts that ended in failure, an achievement lauded by regime leader Kim Jong-un.
Choi You Sun reports.

Report: 
[Sound bite: Footage of Satellite launch released by Korea Central Television on November 24, 2023]
(Sound of blast off with suspense-ridden music blasting in the background)

North Korea has released video footage of the launch vehicle carrying its first military reconnaissance satellite taking off from the Tongchang-ri satellite launching facility late Tuesday night.

The 90-second-long video, made public on Thursday, shows the Chollima-1 rising into the night sky from the launch pad and ends at the separation of the first-stage rocket.

After the launch, the North's state-run Korean Central Television repeatedly claimed that the Malligyong-1 satellite was placed into orbit 705 seconds after liftoff at 10:54 p.m.

Similar to previously released photos, the video showed the vehicle emitting four separate flames, indicating that the regime’s space agency has significantly enhanced its propulsion capability by doubling the number of engines to four.

The location of Malligyong-1 satellite can be verified when searching for its designated number on the international satellite information website.

The state-run Korean Central News Agency on Friday published a separate article on a visit to the North Korean space agency by regime leader Kim Jong-un, where he praised the scientists and technicians behind the launch of the military spy satellite.

Describing the reconnaissance orbiter as a “full-fledged exercise of the right to self-defense,” Kim proclaimed that all involved in the launch had greatly improved the regime’s war deterrence capabilities.

The leader also called for efforts to achieve the “immediate and long-term goal” of developing aerospace recon capabilities.
Choi You Sun, KBS World Radio News.

[Photo : YONHAP News]