September 30, 2023
News

China and ROK competing to recover North Korean rocket debris, data suggests

Ship records show uptick in Chinese patrols in Yellow Sea, as source says Beijing may seek to retrieve wreckage for DPRK

Chinese vessels have intensified patrols in the Yellow Sea near where debris from North Korea’s failed satellite launch fell last week, according to NK News analysis of maritime data, in what one source identified as a possible effort to recover the rocket debris before South Korea.

Ship-tracking records from Fleetmon show that several Chinese ships identified as “law enforcement” have deviated from their typical routes and sailed to the general area where the rocket fell west of the Korean Peninsula.