How will Putin help North Korea build satellites?
Putin hinted that Russia might help North Korea build satellites. Providing this technology to Pyongyang would violate international sanctions. Facts, words and insights
Moscow wants to assist Pyongyang in launching satellites.
Russian President Vladimir Putin hinted that Russia might help North Korea build satellites on September 13 during a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Russian Far East.
“That's exactly why we are here,” Putin said in response to a reporter's question. “The leader of North Korea shows a great interest in space, in missiles. They are trying to develop the space. We will show them our most modern objects,” the Russian president explained, adding that he will discuss with Kim “all issues without haste, we have time.” According to the state television broadcaster “Russia-1”, Putin showed Kim the complex for the assembly and testing of the Angara carrier rocket, currently under development.
The unprecedented visit comes as North Korea seeks to put its first spy satellite into orbit, an effort that has seen two failed attempts this year, Reuters points out.
Last June, Pyongyangannounced that it had attempted to launch a "military reconnaissance satellite" but which then ended up in the sea, after triggering a missile warning in Japan and an evacuation order in Seoul. The second attempt to launch the Malligyong-1 satellite via the Chollima-1 “new type of carrier rocket” made in August also ended in failure.
So the promised Russian help comes ahead of a new Chollima-1 booster launch attempt planned by North Korean scientists in October.
All the details.
PUTIN'S WORDS IN SUPPORT OF THE PLACEMENT OF SATELLITES BY NORTH KOREA
Russia intends to lend its assistance to North Korea in launching carrier rockets and placing artificial satellites into Earth orbit. Russian President Vladimir Putin declared this to journalists, as reported by the Ria Novosti agency. Previously, the Russian president had also said that "all issues" would be discussed during the talks with the North Korean leader, and therefore also cooperation in the military field. The leaders inspected the sites of the new cosmodrome: an assembly shop for the Angara launcher (the new generation of Russian rockets, ed.), a launch site for Soyuz-2 launchers and a launch site under construction for Angara” , the Kremlin said in a statement, reports ANSA .
PYONGYANG'S SPACE OBJECTIVES
Since 1998, North Korea has launched six satellites, two of which appeared to have entered orbit, including in its latest attempt in 2016. But since 2016, North Korea has developed and launched three types of intercontinental ballistic missiles and now appears sincerely committed to placing functioning satellites in space.
Another senior official from the North Korean space agency said after the 2016 launch that he wanted to put more advanced satellites into orbit by 2020 and eventually “plant the North Korean flag on the Moon,” Reuters recalls. During a party congress in January 2021, Kim revealed a wish list that included the development of military reconnaissance satellites.
TWO FAILED ATTEMPTS TO LAUNCH THE SPY SATELLITE FOR NORTH KOREA
Last August 24, North Korea made its second attempt to place a military reconnaissance satellite into Earth orbit, but the launch failed, as did the one carried out on May 31. Korean state media reported this, adding that the country will carry out a third attempt in October. According to the official news agency “Korean Central News Agency” (“KCNA”), the launch of the “new type of carrier rocket” Chollima-1 with the Malligyong-1 satellite on board was attempted in the early hours of today, but “failed due to an error in the emergency separation system during the flight of the third stage” of the missile.
According to analysts, the "Chollima-1" rocket is almost certainly based on the same technology as the intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) tested by Pyongyang in recent months. In the note, North Korean authorities say they are already committed to making "technical and scientific corrective measures" in order to carry out a new launch in October.
South Korea has recovered some of the Chollima-1 debris, including, for the first time, parts of a satellite. Seoul has said the satellite has little military value, although analysts believe any satellite functioning in space would provide North Korea with better intelligence on its enemies, Reuters points out.
INTERNATIONAL RESTRICTIONS
As Reuters always notes, North Korea considers its military space and missile programs a sovereign right, and analysts say spy satellites are key to improving the effectiveness of its weapons.
However, providing this technology to Pyongyang would violate international sanctions, aimed at hindering the country's ability to build fully functional nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.
The United States and its allies have called North Korea's latest satellite tests clear violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions, which ban the development of technology applicable to North Korea's ballistic missile programs. The UN resolutions – passed with Russia's support – also ban any scientific and technical cooperation with North Korea in nuclear science and technology, aerospace and aeronautical engineering and technology, or advanced manufacturing production techniques and methods .
EXPERT COMMENTARY
“As far as we know, North Korea has very limited capacity to build satellites,” Brian Weeden of the Secure World Foundation, a U.S. space policy and security organization, told Reuters . Putin's comments at the meeting with Kim at the Vostochny cosmodrome could suggest that Russia will try to teach North Korea how to build satellites, rather than building them for North Korea, said Lee Choon Geun of Science and Technology Policy Institute of South Korea. It is unlikely that Russia could launch a satellite on behalf of North Korea, but if it does, it violates UN restrictions, the expert added.
“Any form of satellite technology transfer or coordination between Russia and North Korea could violate international sanctions,” Lee Choon Geun stressed. “There is no alternative solution.”
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/innovazione/in-che-modo-putin-aiutera-la-corea-del-nord-a-costruire-satelliti/ on Wed, 13 Sep 2023 10:22:17 +0000.