Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 () was a North Korean Earth observation satellite which, according to the DPRK, was for weather forecast purposes, and whose launch was widely portrayed in the West to be a veiled ballistic missile test. The satellite was launched on 13 April 2012 at 07:39 KST aboard the Unha-3 carrier rocket from Sohae Satellite Launching Station. The rocket exploded 90 seconds after launch near the end of the firing of the first stage of the rocket. The launch was planned to mark the centenary of the birth of Kim Il Sung, the founder of the republic. On 1 December 2012 North Korea announced that a replacement satellite would be launched between 10 and 22 December 2012. After a delay and extending the launch window to 29 December, the rocket was launched on 12 December 2012 (39026, 280km x 280km, 97 (2023).).
Etymology The name "Kwangmyŏngsŏng" is richly symbolic for North Korean nationalism and the Kim family cult. Even though the late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il was born in the village of Vyatskoye near Khabarovsk in the Russian Far East, DPRK sources claim Kim was born on Mount Paektu, and on that day a bright lode star (kwangmyŏngsŏng) appeared in the sky, so everyone knew a new general had been born.
Pre-launch announcement
On 16 March 2012, the Korean Central News Agency reported that the Korean Committee of Space Technology announced that Kwangmyongsong-3 was to be launched to mark the centenary of Kim Il Sung's birth. In the same announcement it was said that the launch would be made southwards and debris generated from the flight would not impact neighbouring countries. On 17 March the North Korean government invited foreign experts and journalists to observe a satellite launch. The Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) was officially invited to the launch on 21 March by the North Korean Embassy to Russia but Roscosmos's spokesman said Russia refused to dispatch its experts to the launch because it violated a UN Security Council resolution. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency had rejected the invitation to send observers to the rocket launch; government spokesman Osamu Fujimura said "It is inappropriate that any Japanese officials participate in observing the launch".
The main newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, said the rocket would take a "safer" flight path compared to previous launches which had strayed into Japanese airspace. The North's official news agency said it had told the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Maritime Organization, the International Telecommunication Union and other bodies about the upcoming launch. The government said the satellite would broadcast remote sensing data in the UHF band and video in the X-band.
A few days later, an article released by the Korean Central News Agency stressed that "the peaceful development and use of space is a universally recognized legitimate right of a sovereign state. The satellite launch for scientific researches into the peaceful development and use of space and economic development can by no means be a monopoly of specified countries"."Launch of Satellite Kwangmyongsong-3 Is Legitimate Right of DPRK", KCNA, 18 March 2012.
International response to the announcement
States – Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr said that the launch would be a clear breach of the UN Security Council Resolutions and would undermine pledges that North Korea made in recent talks with the US. He also said that "North Korea's nuclear and long-range missile programs present a real and credible threat to the security of the region, and to Australia." – Foreign Ministry spokesperson Vesela Cherneva urged North Korea to reconsider its decision and to adhere to the moratorium on nuclear and missile testing. – Foreign Minister Hor Namhong suggested the six-party nations discuss North Korean nuclear issues at the Asean Regional Forum in Cambodia in July. – After the launch, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird condemned the launch, stating, "Canada unreservedly condemns North Korea's rocket launch of earlier today. This type of brazen behaviour is entirely reckless and provocative. It ignores not only international will but also the basic needs of the North Korean people. While the average North Korean starves and struggles, the country's rulers squander scarce internal resources and external goodwill. Actions like today's will only further isolate this rogue regime and keep North Koreans from the better, brighter existence they deserve but are being denied by those in power. Canada will continue to work with its international partners with a view to securing peace and prosperity on the entire Korean peninsula." – In a press briefing Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said "The Chinese side has taken note of the information released by the DPRK". He called on all parties concerned to play constructive roles saying "To maintain the peace and stability of the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia is not only in the common interests of all sides concerned, but also the shared aspiration of the international community". – The French Foreign Ministry called the move a provocation and said North Korea "must abandon" plans to launch a rocket to put a satellite into orbit next month, because doing so would violate the terms of UN Security Council resolutions. It said the launching of a rocket by North Korea would contribute to the development of its ballistic missile capabilities. – India's foreign ministry secretary Sanjay Singh said "Nothing should be done which could increase tensions in the region". In a joint statement after their parleys, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak called for maintaining peace and stability in the peninsula including its denuclearization. – Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa called on North Korea to refrain from the launch saying "We are obviously deeply concerned by the prospect of the launch of the satellite, both in terms of the safety and security issues, but most of all, and not least, in terms of the disruption it is causing to the conditions conducive for the resumptions of six party talks". – Japan urged Pyongyang to abandon the launch, calling it a violation of a UN resolution restricting the North's use of ballistic missile technology. On Monday, 19 March, Japanese Defence Minister Naoki Tanaka said he might order the military to destroy a North Korean rocket if it passes through the country's airspace. On 20 March, NHK, a state-owned TV station, said Japan will deploy missile intercept. On 31 March, it was reported that Japanese destroyer Kirishima left the Yokosuka naval base in Kanagawa Prefecture for the East China Sea ahead of a planned rocket launch. – Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully urged North Korea to abandon its plan to launch a satellite and also called on North Korea to work with international community and stop its nuclear programme, stating: "The government has been cautiously optimistic about North Korea's recent agreement with the United States to put a moratorium on long-range missile launches and this latest announcement from North Korea is therefore very disappointing. The use of ballistic missile technology to conduct the proposed launch is inconsistent both with that agreement and with UN Security Council resolutions." – The Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs expressed "grave concerns" over the planned launch, which it said was "unacceptable". The Philippines also cited the UN resolutions imposed on North Korea concerning the prohibitions on ballistic missile technology use and the abandonment of the North Korean ballistic missile program. Furthermore, it stated that "North Korea's return to confidence-building and engagement with the international community is key to the continued stability and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula and the entire Asia-Pacific region". A few days later, in a speech during the inauguration of the Filipino veterans of the Korean War memorial hall, President Aquino described the action as a "provocation" and urged North Korea not to proceed with the planned launch. Aquino said the launch increases tensions in the region, and that debris from the launch may land in Philippine territory."Aquino says debris from NKorean rocket may fall on Philippines, calls it needless provocation", Washington Post, 29 March 2012. – A Polish Foreign Ministry statement said "Such action could be interpreted as a breach of the moratorium on missile tests recently announced by Pyongyang, and called North Korea to abide by UN Security Council Resolutions 1718 and 1874 and refrain from steps, which could undermine the recent efforts to restore dialogue." – Romania criticised the North Korean decision to proceed with the launch and asked the North Korean authorities to "refrain from actions that would violate UNSC resolutions or undermine efforts to reestablish trust and cooperation in the region." – Russia expressed serious concern over North Korea's plan to launch a satellite and urged Pyongyang not to create hurdles to the revival of six-nation talks over its nuclear programme. A statement released by the Russian Foreign Ministry said "We call on Pyongyang not to put itself in opposition to the international community, to refrain from actions that increase tension in the region and create additional complications for the relaunch of six-sided negotiations about the nuclear issue on the Korean peninsula". On 4 April, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said "There should be no place for emotions and we must not instigate a new loop of confrontation" and that the world's reaction to the launch should be "gauged". On 10 April Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said Russia considers Pyongyang's decision to launch a scientific rocket to place a satellite in earth orbit as disregarding UN Security Council resolutions. Armed Forces spokesman said Interfax news agency "In case of rejection of North Korea's rocket off course and a threat of falling into Russian territory, Russian Aerospace Defence Forces are ready to shoot down the missile". He said the attention of the Russian military in the North Korean missile launch is due to the fact that the trajectory of a missile could pass close to the Russian Federation, and in case of rejection of the rocket can fall on the Kuril Islands. – The South Korean Foreign Ministry expressed 'grave concern' over the planned launch, which it said would be a clear violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1874 which bans any launch using ballistic missile technology. Seoul said it would 'closely cooperate' with the US, China, Russia and Japan – the other members of stalled six-party talks over North Korea's nuclear weapons programme so that North Korea ceases such a provocative action. – A British Foreign Office spokesperson said: "We have seen the North Korean official government announcement that it plans to launch a satellite between 12 and 16 April. We are deeply concerned that such a launch would undermine North Korea's recent efforts to engage with the international community. We urge the North Korean Government to abide by its obligations under UN Security Council Resolutions 1718 and 1874." – The US condemned the announcement as "highly provocative" and a direct violation of Pyongyang's international obligations. The State Department noted that UN Security Council Resolutions 1718 and 1874 banned launches using ballistic missile technology. It added that the planned launch would pose a threat to regional security and be inconsistent with Pyongyang's recent undertaking to refrain from long-range missile launches.
International organizations