SEOUL, South Korea (AP) \u2014 Top North Korean officials vowed to push for a second attempt to launch a spy satellite as they called their country\u2019s first, and failed, launch last month \u201cthe most serious\u201d shortcoming this year and harshly criticized those responsible, state media reported Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In late May, a North Korean rocket carrying a military reconnaissance satellite crashed soon after liftoff, posing a setback to leader Kim Jong Un\u2019s push to acquire a space-based surveillance system to better monitor the United States and South Korea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The failed launch and North Korean efforts to modernize its weapons arsenal were discussed extensively at a three-day ruling party meeting that ended Sunday, with the presence of Kim and other top officials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A lengthy Korean Central News Agency dispatch on the meeting didn\u2019t clearly say who spoke, but said a report to the meeting \u201cbitterly criticized the officials who irresponsibly conducted the preparations for (the) satellite launch.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The report set forth tasks for officials and scientists to learn the lessons of the failed launch, find what caused the rocket\u2019s crash and make a successful launch in a short span of time, KCNA said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It didn\u2019t say exactly when North Korea might attempt a second launch. But South Korea\u2019s spy agency earlier told lawmakers that it would take likely take \u201cmore than several weeks\u201d for North Korea to determine what went wrong in the failed launch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
North Korea monitoring groups haven\u2019t reported any purges or dismissals of scientists or others involved in the failed launch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A spy satellite is among several high-tech military assets Kim has publicly vowed to acquire to cope with what he calls U.S.-led hostility. Other weapons systems Kim wants to possess are a multi-warhead missile, a nuclear submarine, a solid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile and a hypersonic missile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since the start of 2022, North Korea has carried out more than 100 missile tests, some of which were related to developing a spy satellite and other powerful weapons on Kim\u2019s wish list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the meeting, Politburo members also analyzed the \u201cextremely deteriorating security situation\u201d in the region caused by the \u201creckless war moves\u201d of North Korea\u2019s rivals, the report said, apparently referring to the expanded U.S.-South Korea military drills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The United States and South Korea have been expanding their military drills in response to North Korea\u2019s advancing nuclear arsenal and warn that any attempt to use nuclear weapons would result in the end of Kim\u2019s government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Politburo members set down unspecified \u201cimportant tasks\u201d for strengthening solidarity with countries that are \u201copposed to the U.S. brigandish strategy for world supremacy,\u201d KCNA said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
North Korea has pushed to boost relations with Russia, including defending its military action in Ukraine. It says Russia is protecting itself against the West\u2019s \u201chegemonic policy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The North has also sought to build on its ties with China, its main ally and economic lifeline that is locked in an intensified strategic rivalry with the United States over trade, technology and regional influence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Russia and China, both veto-holding permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, have repeatedly blocked attempts by the U.S. and others to toughen U.N. sanctions on North Korea over its missile tests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The party meeting also discussed efforts to improve North Korea\u2019s struggling economy, which experts say has been further strained by pandemic-related border closures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
KCNA said there has been some progress in efforts to boost agricultural output and revive production in metal and chemical industries, though it acknowledged unspecified shortcomings. KCNA claimed progress in the construction field, citing a project to build tens of thousands of new homes in the capital, Pyongyang.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s virtually impossible to verify the claims by the North, one of the most secretive countries in the world. Experts say there are no signs of social unrest or famine in North Korea despite the pandemic-caused hardships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
KCNA didn\u2019t say whether Kim spoke during the plenary meeting of the Workers\u2019 Party Central Committee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Koo Byoungsam, spokesperson for South Korea\u2019s Unification Ministry, said it would be highly unusual for Kim to sit through such a high-profile party meeting without a public speech. Koo said the apparent lack of a Kim speech might stem from the satellite launch failure and North Korea\u2019s lack of economic achievements.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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