According to North Korea, an accident occurred as it prepared to launch its first satellite into space, forcing it to crash into the ocean.
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| Image Source - Google | Image by <br><a href= BBC News |
Pyongyang had declared its intention to deploy a satellite by June 11 in order to track US military operations.
Now, it promises to make another launch attempt as soon as feasible.
The launch caused a false alarm to go out in Seoul, South Korea, while Okinawa residents received a warning from Japan.
People in Seoul woke up to the sound of an air raid siren and an emergency message instructing them to get ready for an evacuation, only to learn 20 minutes later that it had been issued in error. This caused commotion and uncertainty.
On the Korean Peninsula, where tensions have existed between the two countries for 70 years, the stakes are high, and any false alarm could significantly erode public confidence in the alert system.
South Korea is threatened by North Korea, and if an alert is sent in the future, one concern is whether it will be taken seriously or dismissed as just another oversight.
According to Kim, a 33-year-old mother who resides in Seoul, she was "very scared" when she received the emergency notice and began collecting her luggage to leave.
She stated, "I didn't think there would be a war, but after the war in Ukraine it made me think that North Korea or China might invade [South] Korea," adding that she believed Pyongyang had "lost its mind" and started an assault.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon recognized the emergency text "may have been an overreaction" but insisted that "there can be no compromise on safety" during a press conference.
According to the AFP news agency, he declared that the city would enhance its warning system to prevent confusion.
The rocket may have crashed after it disappeared from radar too soon, according to the South Korean military, or it may have fragmented in midair. It published images of marine debris.
North Korea seemed to have fired a ballistic missile, according to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who added that the administration was investigating the specifics.
He continued by saying that there had been no complaints of damage since the launch. Prior to now, Japan declared that it was prepared to shoot down anything that endangered its territory.
The launch was announced on Tuesday by Ri Pyong Chol, vice-chairman of the central military commission of the North Korean ruling party, who said it was in retaliation for "reckless military acts" by the US and South Korea.
He charged that the nations had "openly exposed their reckless ambition for aggression."
The launch was denounced by the United States together with South Korea and Japan as a "brazen violation" of numerous UN Security Council resolutions.
"The door to diplomacy has not closed, but Pyongyang must immediately cease its provocative actions and instead choose engagement," said Adam Hodge, spokesman for national security.
He continued by saying that the US would take "all necessary measures" to defend itself and its allies.
Additionally denouncing the action, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that any launch by Pyongyang employing ballistic missile technology would be "contrary" to the pertinent security council resolutions.
The creation of military satellites is a crucial part of North Korea's defense, according to Kim Jong-un, the country's leader.
Regardless of the outcome of its current satellite mission, the North Korean government "can be expected to issue political propaganda about its space capabilities," according to Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Seoul's Ewha University. He said that the North Korean leadership "likely sees itself in a space race."
