Recognizing the Fall of a Military Satellite that Failed to Launch as a Major Failure, North Korea Prepares New Launch

JAKARTA - North Korea acknowledged last month's failure to launch its military satellite as its biggest failure, at a meeting of its ruling party, state media KCNA said on Monday.

An enlarged plenary meeting was held Friday to Sunday, ordering workers and researchers to analyze failed military satellite launches, preparing for another satellite launch in the near future.

Those responsible for launching the satellite were "roundly criticized," the report said, citing Reuters, June 19.

The discussion was carried out at the 8th plenary meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), the country's ruling party.

The North Korean rocket plunged into the sea "after losing thrust due to an abnormal second-stage engine," Pyongyang said after the launch failure in an unusual acknowledgment of a technical problem.

North Korea also vowed to continue to develop its nuclear capabilities, strengthening solidarity with other countries that oppose what it calls "the US strategy for world supremacy."

The meeting also discussed self-sufficiency in food supply, increasing the country's agricultural output, and meeting annual grain production targets.

Earlier, South Korea's Unification Ministry said earlier this year the food situation in North Korea "appears to be deteriorating".

North Korea is known to be under strict international sanctions isolation over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, causing its economy to be further strained by a border lockdown that was strictly enforced to stop the COVID-19 outbreak.