South Korea launches first satellite with homegrown rocket

By HYUNG-JIN KIM
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea says it has conducted its first successful satellite launch using a domestically developed rocket. It says the three-stage rocket placed the satellite at the target altitude and it transmitted signals about its status back to Earth. The success boosted the country’s growing aerospace ambitions and demonstrated it has key technologies needed to launch spy satellites and build larger missiles amid tensions with rival North Korea. The launch made South Korea the world’s 10th nation to place a satellite into space with its own technology. South Korea is a major producer of semiconductors, automobiles and smartphones, but its space development program lags behind that of Asian neighbors China, India and Japan.