Seoul, the capital of South Korea
Pyongyang is the capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is sometimes labeled as the "Capital of the Revolution".
Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about 109 km upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea
Why In news
On May 25, South Korea successfully launched its first indigenous design rocket, the Nuri, placing a mission-capable satellite in orbit.
A few days later, North Korea launched a new rocket design, the Chollima-1, from a new facility.
The Nuri launcher is South Korea's first entirely indigenous design, and it aims to deploy military and civilian satellites in orbit.
North Korea has cycled through different launchers, and the Chollima-1 appears to be more advanced, but its maiden test in May ended in failure.
Both countries see space programs as a matter of national pride and have invested resources in their launch facilities.
South Korea's Naro Space Center has been operational since 2009, while North Korea's Sohae facility on the west coast was completed in 2011.
The Chollima-1 was launched from a new pad at Sohae, built in just over a month, demonstrating North Korea's commitment to its satellite program.
Analysts believe North Korea is moving towards deploying operational satellites, starting with low orbit recon satellites.
South Korea plans to use the follow-on KSLV-III project as the mainstay of its spaceflight program by 2030, with the next flight of Nuri expected in 2025.
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