North Korean space agency denies membership to IAF at last stage

The National Aerospace Development Administration, North Korea’s state space agency, has had its membership to the International Astronautical Federation rescinded only a few days after the federation accepted the membership request.

The federation accepted the North’s membership request during its 66th plenary session in Israel from Monday to Friday last week, and North Korea’s Chosun Central News Agency reported the news on Thursday. The accession was seen as an accomplishment of North Korean leader Kim Jeong-eun, who paid a keen interest in the affair by attending the opening ceremony of the federation’s General Satellite Control and Command Center in May this year. However, the request was “revoked” in the last stage of deliberation on Friday.

“The Korea Aerospace Research Institute and others expressed their concern that North Korea, which is under the UN sanctions for conducting nuclear tests, might misuse its newly earned membership to the federation, and the international community has accepted such concern,” said a diplomatic source on Tuesday.

The source said that initially, the International Astronautical Federation was favorable towards North Korea’s participation as it sought to expand the membership base. Given that the federation is an international organization designed to encourage peaceful space development, experts say the decision to revoke the membership is unusual. Its members include government organizations, institutes, and companies in space industry. “(We) sent a letter to the International Astronautical Federation, reflecting the stance of the UN’s North Korea sanctions committee, and the Secretariat has taken it into account and decided to rescind the request,” said an official from the Korea Aerospace Research Institute.

It is expected that the North will show strong opposition, citing South Korea’s “obstruction” to thwart the membership request. Having chosen not to send a delegation to the 66th general assembly, North Korea is highly likely to make an issue out of the fact that its right to speak was not guaranteed. The North Korean media has not reported any news related to the International Astronautical Federation since it reported North Korea’s accession to the aerospace federation on Thursday.