The launch came during the period when the DPRK was commemorating the first anniversary of the death of former leader Kim Jong-il and just before the first South Korean domestic launch of a satellite and the South Korean presidential election on 19 December 2012.
Peluncuran datang selama periode ketika DPRK sedang memperingati ulang tahun pertama kematian mantan pemimpin Kim Jong-il dan hanya sebelum pertama peluncuran domestik Korea Selatan dari satelit dan pemilihan presiden Korea Selatan pada tanggal 19 Desember 2012.