The list of North Korean scientists and officials named national heroes for contributing to the country’s successful launch of a long-range rocket earlier this month did not include key officials in charge of a botched April rocket launch, prompting speculation over their possible purge.

According to recent North Korean media reports, the communist country declared 101 scientists, officials and others national heroes and gave them medals for contributing to its widely celebrated Dec. 12 launch of a long-range rocket.

The country has claimed the launch was to send a satellite into orbit, but it has been condemned by the international community as a covert test of ballistic missile technology.

The released list of the awardees, however, did not include the names of two key officials known to have been very active in leading a similar rocket launch attempt in April. The rocket fired off in April exploded about 90 seconds after its lift-off.

South Korean experts said the omission of the two key officials ― Jang Myong-jin and Ryu Kum-chol ― may indicate they have been purged over the unsuccessful launch attempt, the first of its kind since new leader Kim Jong-un came to power last December. (Yonhap News)