South Korea claims to have found part of a missile used to launch a North Korean spy satellite world

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Friday (16) local time, that South Korea has recovered the naval part of a missile that North Korea used in a failed attempt to launch its first military satellite last month.

The army said that the piece, which appears to be from the second stage of the missile, was found on Thursday evening (15), adding that the search is continuing. Pictures released by South Koreans show a large cylindrical object.

“The body found will be thoroughly analyzed by specialized organizations, including the Defense Development Agency,” the authorities said in a statement.

On May 31, the North Koreans attempted to launch their first spy satellite into space, but the attempt failed and the missile’s propellant and payload fell into the sea. Pyongyang said it was exercising its right to develop space to counter what it called “aggression” by the United States, and vowed to launch another missile soon.

South Korea is conducting rescue operations after the pieces fell into the waters off Ioseongdo Island, off the western coast of its territory. The South Koreans said that Chinese warships also carried out searches in the waters where the North Korean missile fell.