The South Korean military confirmed it had tested a solid-propellant rocket on Friday after the unannounced launch sparked rumors of a UFO or North Korean missile launch.
In a statement, the Defense Ministry said the launch was part of an initiative to build a space-based surveillance capability and strengthen the country’s defense posture.
The department said it did not alert the public to the launch in advance because it involved sensitive military security issues.
A trail of light was captured in an image of Goyang that night, sparking a frenzy on social media sites.
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“What is this? Is this a UFO? I’m scared,” said one Twitter user.
The light trail is seen in Goyang, South Korea, on Friday, December 30, 2022. The South Korean military confirmed that it tested a solid-propellant rocket on Friday, after its unannounced launch caused a brief public scare. on the suspected appearance of a UFO or a North Korean missile or drone flight.
(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Others suspected a less sinister or supernatural phenomenon: a drone or a light show.
According to local media, emergency offices and authorities received hundreds of reports of witnessing a suspicious unidentified flying object.
In March, South Korea conducted its first successful launch of a solid-propellant rocket.
South Korean Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-sup speaks at the Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore on June 12, 2022.
(ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP via Getty Images)
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The Defense Ministry said Friday’s launch was a follow-up.
An aerial view of Seoul, South Korea.
(Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The launch came just days after South Korea accused North Korea of flying five drones across the border on Monday for the first time in five years.
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The South Korean military detected the drones but was unable to shoot them down, forcing the military to apologize for that later.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
