(MENAFN) North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has hailed the country's recent successful launch of a spy satellite as a significant military breakthrough, asserting that it will enhance Pyongyang's ability to safeguard itself from perceived threats. Kim attended a celebration of the satellite program, commending scientists and technicians from North Korea's National Aerospace Technology Administration (NATA), according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). In a festive atmosphere in Pyongyang, Kim, accompanied by his wife, expressed his pride in the achievement, with his daughter Ju-ae and space agency workers donning matching NATA T-shirts.
The launch on Tuesday, characterized by Kim as propelling the country into a "new era of space power," is deemed a crucial development in North Korea's military capabilities. Kim emphasized the deployment of the spy satellite as a legitimate exercise of the right of self-defense, asserting that it will fortify North Korea against what he described as the "dangerous and aggressive moves" of its adversaries. Notably, just hours after the launch, the North Korean government claimed that Kim had already viewed images of US military bases in Guam, marking a potential escalation in regional tensions.
On Friday, KCNA reported that Kim was inspecting photos captured by the spy satellite of "major target regions," including Seoul and South Korean cities hosting United States military bases. While South Korean officials stated that it was too early to verify the satellite's capabilities, Seoul responded to the launch by partially suspending a 2018 military de-escalation agreement with North Korea. Surveillance flights near the border between the two Koreas were resumed in response to the heightened tensions.
North Korea's defense ministry, announcing on Thursday the termination of the 2018 agreement, condemned South Korea's decision to partially suspend it as "reckless." The ministry warned that South Korea would "pay dearly" for breaching the agreement, indicating a strain in the already delicate relations between the two nations. As the international community closely watches these developments, the successful launch of the spy satellite adds a new dimension to the geopolitical dynamics on the Korean Peninsula, raising concerns about the potential ramifications of North Korea's enhanced military capabilities.
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