North Korea announced on March 31 that it launched its first military reconnaissance satellite, the Maruri-gyeong-1, from the Seohae Satellite Launch Site in Dongchang-ri in the northwestern part of the country. The rocket lost thrust due to an abnormality in the newly introduced second-stage engine and crashed into the Yellow Sea.
North Korea's leadership is expected to carefully assess the timing of the second launch to ensure that military reconnaissance satellites, which they say are essential for tracking and monitoring U.S. and other military actions, are in orbit.