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SEOUL, Dec. 30 (AP) — South Korea’s military confirmed it tested a solid-fuel rocket on Friday after its unannounced launch sparked public speculation over a suspected UFO sighting or a North Korean missile launch. Brief panic.
The Defense Department said in a statement that the rocket launch was part of its efforts to build space-based surveillance capabilities and strengthen its defense posture.
It said it did not notify the public of the launch in advance because of sensitive military security concerns.
Twisted tendrils in a white-to-red gradient were visible Friday night behind bright white lights in parts of South Korea’s sky.
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South Korean social media and internet sites have been flooded with messages from citizens who say they have seen a towering object, rainbow-colored steam trails or other mysterious lights. Some also posted photos and videos.
“What is this? Is this a UFO? I’m terrified,” said one Twitter user.
Another said they suspected it was a North Korean missile launch and feared war, while a third said they believed North Korean spies operating in South Korea were sending signals back to North Korea.
Others suspected it was a paranormal phenomenon.
South Korea’s emergency office and police have received reports from hundreds of citizens of sightings of suspicious flying objects and mysterious lights across the country, local media reported.
The South Korean rocket launch came four days after South Korea on Monday accused North Korea of flying five drones over its rival’s border for the first time in five years.
The South Korean military spotted the drones but failed to shoot them down, raising security concerns about its air defense network. The military later issued a rare apology for the incident.
South Korean officials say they plan to use a solid-fuel rocket to launch the country’s first spy satellite into orbit. In March, South Korea successfully launched a solid-fuel rocket for the first time.
South Korean officials say solid-fuel rockets offer shorter launch times, simpler structures and lower development and manufacturing costs compared with liquid-fuel rockets.
Friday’s launch was a follow-up test to the one launched in March, the Defense Department said.
North Korea is also pushing to develop its first military surveillance satellite and other high-tech weapons systems in response to what it calls U.S. hostility.
Earlier this year, North Korea conducted a record number of missile tests in what experts say is an effort to refine its nuclear weapons technology and boost its leverage in future dealings with the United States. (Associated Press)
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)
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