Kim Yo Jong promises more North Korea spy satellite launches

Country has conducted more than 100 weapons tests since January 2022 as it modernizes its military arsenal.

North Korea’s Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un, has promised more satellite launches after the country’s attempt to send its first military spy satellite into orbit failed.

Kim Yo Kong slammed the United States for “gangster-like” hypocrisy over its criticism of Wednesday’s failed launch, saying it was North Korea’s sovereign right to acquire space exploration capabilities.

“We are ready to make every effort to defend her sovereign rights and interests,” she said in a statement from the state-run KCNA.

Kim’s comments came a day after a North Korean long-range missile carrying Malligyong-1, the country’s first spy satellite, lost thrust after a stage separation and crashed into the sea off the Korean peninsula.

After an unusually quick admission of failure, North Korea said it would conduct a second launch after analyzing what went wrong.

The launch was quickly condemned by South Korea, which removed some of the debris from the water, as well as by Tokyo and Washington, which noted that the launch used banned ballistic missile technology, heightened tensions and compromised security. threatened to destabilize the region and beyond. .

UN chief Antonio Guterres also condemned the launch, saying it violated UN resolutions.

On Thursday, KCNA also released footage of what it said showed the new Chollima-1 missile taking off in flames and smoke from a launch pad on the coast.

Commercial satellite images from one of the launch pads at the Sohae Satellite Launching Station showed more than a dozen vehicles called the US-based 38 North, a program to analyze North Korea, a report said.

“Which pad was used for the launch cannot yet be confirmed,” the report said. “However, activity on the main launch pad is consistent with post-launch assessment and cleanup efforts.”

Before Wednesday, Pyongyang had launched five satellites since 1998.

Of the five, three immediately failed and two appeared to have been launched into orbit – but signals from them have never been independently detected, suggesting they may have malfunctioned.

The most recent satellite launch was in 2016. The following year, Pyongyang successfully launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

North Korea has conducted more than 100 weapons tests since January 2022 as it modernizes its military weapons and equipment.

Kim Jong-un’s wish list of weapons also includes a multi-warhead missile, a nuclear submarine, a solid propellant intercontinental ballistic missile and a hypersonic missile.

He argues that improving the country’s military capabilities is necessary for self-defense.