Problem detected during final preparations

New launch date to be announced later

Ministry of National Defense [Park Hae-muk]
Ministry of National Defense [Park Hae-muk]

South Korea's Ministry of National Defense called off a planned test launch of a solid-fuel space launch vehicle Tuesday, halting the countdown just before liftoff.

The ministry's spokesperson office said in a text notification that it had decided to abort the launch "out of safety considerations after some problems were detected during the final launch preparation process."

Military authorities did not elaborate on the nature of the problems. The preemptive halt appears to reflect the military's policy of putting safety first given the inherent risks of launch vehicle testing.

The Defense Ministry said a new launch date would "be announced separately at a later time."

The solid-fuel space launch vehicle, developed entirely with domestic technology, can be launched more quickly than liquid-fueled rockets, making it directly relevant to military reconnaissance operations. It is considered a key military asset.

The military has been conducting related tests in stages as it works to build an independent space-based surveillance and reconnaissance capability.

The postponement is expected to require some adjustments to the future test schedule and the timeline for fielding the system.


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