N. Korea's Malligyong-1 reportedly incorporates smuggled components

North Korea's first reconnaissance satellite, 'Malligyong-1,' which experienced a launch failure on May 31, reportedly incorporates components of South Korean origin.

On Friday, South Korean government officials revealed that a joint analysis conducted by South Korea and the U.S. on debris from the new carrier rocket 'Chollima-1' and the Malligyong-1, retrieved from the West Sea, indicated the presence of key South Korean parts in the satellite. Experts speculate that North Korea acquired these components by purchasing South Korean electronic devices abroad or smuggling them from China, incorporating them into the development of its military reconnaissance satellites. The procurement of such parts for the manufacturing of spy satellites, not to mention ballistic missiles, represents a clear violation of the U.N. Security Council resolution on North Korea.

The spy satellite launched in May from the West Sea Satellite Launching Site in North Pyongan Province, North Korea, flew for approximately 10 minutes before plunging into the sea around 200 kilometers west of an island in Gunsan City, North Jeolla Province, South Korea. The South Korean military recovered diverse components, including the second-tier fuselage of the launch body, various optical parts from the satellite's camera, and the tube inside the optical camera.

In the July briefing, South Korean military officials reported that the recovered parts indicated the Malligyong-1's poor quality and deemed it devoid of any military utility. While specific reasons were not disclosed, they concluded that the satellite failed to meet minimum performance criteria, particularly in distinguishing sub-meter objects (objects shorter than 1 meter in length and width).

On Tuesday, North Korea successfully launched its spy satellite on the third attempt. Some experts suggest that North Korea's satellite technology might be more advanced than initially assessed by South Korean sources in May, possibly due to Russian assistance in analyzing data from previous launch failures. Despite North Korea's celebration of the successful launch and praise for leader Kim Jong Un, it is improbable that the regime achieved indigenous technology for highly technology-intensive reconnaissance satellite development. The satellite likely comprises a substandard blend of smuggled parts from home appliances or electronic devices sourced not only from South Korea but also from other countries.


Kyu-Jin Shin newjin@donga.com