On Tuesday night, North Korea announced it had successfully placed its “Malligyong-1” satellite into orbit. The North Korean state is well known for making inaccurate claims, but this claim was confirmed by the South Korean armed forces, who say they have not yet been able to determine if the satellite is working correctly.
In a closed-door meeting, South Korea’s spy agency told South Korean lawmakers on Thursday that Russian assistance was likely the decisive factor in enabling North Korea to successfully launch the satellite.
The National Intelligence Service cited Russian President Vladimir Putin’s earlier mention of a promise to support North Korea’s satellite programme.
South Korean Defence Minister Shin Wonsik told a separate parliamentary committee meeting on Thursday that Russia appears to have been providing technological assistance for North Korea’s satellite programme.