KCNA: DPRK satellite fails to enter orbit
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E-mail China.org.cn, April 13, 2012
An earth observation satellite launched by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) earlier Friday morning failed to enter orbit, the official KCNA news agency reported.
![Photo taken on April 8, 2012 shows the rocket for launching Kwangmyongsong-3 satellite installed on the launch pad in Tongchang-ri base, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). [Xinhua]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20120413/000cf1bdd03f10f1e61016.jpg "Photo taken on April 8, 2012 shows the rocket for launching Kwangmyongsong-3 satellite installed on the launch pad in Tongchang-ri base, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). [Xinhua]") |
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Photo taken on April 8, 2012 shows the rocket for launching Kwangmyongsong-3 satellite installed on the launch pad in Tongchang-ri base, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). [Xinhua] |
The Kwangmyongsong-3 satellite was launched at the Sohae Satellite Launching Station in Cholsan County, North Phyongan Province at 07:38 a.m. on Friday (2238 GMT Thursday), said the report.
"The earth observation satellite failed to enter its preset orbit. Scientists, technicians and experts are now looking into the cause of the failure," the KCNA news agency said.
South Korea, the United States, and Japan earlier confirmed the failure of the DPRK rocket launch.
After the launch, the Chinese Foreign Ministry urged all sides to remain "calm" and exercise "restraint."
"We hope all relevant parties can maintain calm and restraint, and refrain from acts that would harm peace and stability on the Peninsula as well as that of the region," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Liu Weimin said in a statement.
South Korea's Defense ministry spokesman Kim Min-seook said in a statement on Friday that the Unha-3 rocket appears to have separated into several pieces before crashing into the sea a few minutes after takeoff.
The UN Security Council is scheduled to hold a closed door meeing at 10 a.m. EST (1500 GMT) on Friday in response to the DPRK rocket launch.
Following the rocket launch, the White House announced in a statement on Thursday that U.S. President Barack Obama is prepared to engage constructively with the DPRK.
"However, he has also insisted that North Korea (the DPRK) live up to its own commitments, adhere to its international obligations and deal peacefully with its neighbors," the statement said.
The DPRK maintained that its satellite launch is peaceful in nature and aims to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of DPRK founder Kim Il Sung.
The launch plan triggered strong reactions from the United States, South Korea and Japan, with all three countries putting great pressure on Pyongyang to suspend the launch.
According to the KCNA, on April 5, 2009, the DPRK successfully sent the Kwangmyongsong-2 communication satellite into orbit.
But South Korea and the United States alleged that the launch was a failure. The launch also brought stringent sanctions against the DPRK.
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