SEOUL: North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un has issued directives to officials to launch its first spy satellite as planned, adding that boosting the N Korea’s reconnaissance abilities is a top priority to counter “threats” from South Korea and the US, state-run media reported on Wednesday.
North Korean leaders orders to launch spy satellite
N Korea in December had conducted what it called a “significant, final stage” test for the development of a spy satellite and claimed it would complete launching by April.
During a trip to the national space development agency on Tuesday, Kim Jong Un asked launching the satellite as per schedule and issued order of deploying multiple reconnaissance satellites to boost the country’s surveillance abilities, news agency KCNA added.
“(Kim) maintained … securing and operating army reconnaissance steps are top priority task to enhance the military efficiency of our various war deterrence steps,” KCNA added.
Following the December test, which Seoul and Tokyo had said involved the launch of two ballistic missiles, North Korea released low-resolution pictures of the South Korean capital and port city Incheon that it claimed were taken during the launch.
North Korean leader’s visit to the space development department comes just days following North Korea conducted a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Friday, a move Pyongyang says would “promote” its troops and experts add would facilitate missiles launch with little warning.
