North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said Pyongyang had completed building its first military reconnaissance satellite and ordered final preparations to launch the satellite as planned.
North Korea's move is expected to further escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Kim made the statement during an inspection of North Korea's space development agency on Tuesday. The North Korean state news agency (KCNA) stated that Pyongyang's arena had promised to complete preparations for the launch of military reconnaissance satellites by the end of this month.
"Stipulated the militant task of organizing a non-permanent satellite launch preparation committee to ensure military reconnaissance satellite No.1 is completed in April and will launch on a planned date, accelerate final preparations and firmly build satellite intelligence gathering capabilities by deploying several reconnaissance satellites in different orbits in succession in the future," Kim said. from KCNA via Antara, Wednesday, April 19.
Kim also stressed that the planned launch and operation of satellites is the "most important main task" for North Korea to strengthen the effectiveness of war prevention against the so-called Pyongyang as a South Korean and US scheme to strengthen their military posture against North Korea.
In December 2022, North Korea said it had carried out an "istical final stage" test at its rocket launch facility to put military reconnaissance satellites into orbit.
During Kim's first visit to North Korea's space development agency since March 2022, the North Korean leader confirmed the possession of reconnaissance satellites as a self-defense tool that "will never be abandoned."
"Such satellite possession is the main task that must be fulfilled to strengthen the armed forces of the DPRK (North Korea) that will never be abandoned, missed, and changed... it becomes a sovereign and legitimate right to self-defense given the requirements for recent security standards on the Korean Peninsula and addressing long-term threats," Kim said.
Although not mentioned in the report, the photos brought by KCNA show that Kim was accompanied by his daughter, Ju-ae, who was wearing black suit pants and a light creamed blouse.
The report on Wednesday comes amid rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula as North Korea has not responded to routine cross-border calls via inter-Korean liaisons and military communications networks since April 7.
Pyongyang recently conducted another large weapons test, such as the launch of the Hwasong-18 solid fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) this month and the launch of a device it calls an underwater nuclear drone, in protest against a combined spring military exercise between South Korea and the United States.
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