North Korea confirms launch of military spy satellite in June

North Korea confirmed Tuesday that it will launch a military spy satellite in June to “address dangerous military actions by the United States,” Japan suspects of a disguised missile launch.

The “No. 1 military reconnaissance satellite” will be “launched in June” to “deal with the dangerous military actions of the United States and its vassals”, Ri Pyeong Chol, vice chairman of the Workers’ Central Military Commission, announced. party, cited by state agency KCNA.

The official also accused the United States of carrying out “hostile aerial espionage activities over the Korean Peninsula and its vicinity”.

Japan announced Monday that it had been informed of an upcoming satellite launch by North Korea, a project the Japanese government said would conceal a ballistic missile launch.

According to Tokyo, Pyongyang notified the Japanese Coast Guard of rocket launches between May 31 and June 11. The projectile is expected to land in an area somewhere between the Yellow Sea, East China Sea and East Luzon Island in the Philippines, a location usually designated for falling debris or rocket stages.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Monday that “even if it is described as a satellite, a launch using ballistic missile technology would violate UN Security Council resolutions” and would threaten the safety of the population.

– Order to shoot –

The Japanese Ministry of Defense has ordered the interception of any ballistic missile that is confirmed to have fallen on land or sea territory, specifying that it has used SM-3 and Patriot PAC-3 type interceptors for this purpose. Deployed missiles.

South Korea’s Defense Ministry said in a statement, “North Korea’s alleged ‘satellite launch’ is a serious violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions that ban all launches using ballistic missile technology, and it A clearly illegal act which cannot be justified under any circumstances.” ,

Pyongyang’s communication strategy is to keep Japan informed of its future launches, but South Korea may not be swayed by the major joint drills between Seoul and Washington, which took place on Thursday just 25 km south of the inter-Korean border. began, said AFP analyst Cheong Seong-chang. The Center for North Korean Studies of the Sejong Institute K.

Additionally, Seoul “called North Korea an ‘enemy’ in a defense document in February. North Korea doesn’t like Japan, but it has more reason to dislike Seoul now,” according to Mr. Cheong.

Seoul and Tokyo have been trying over the past few weeks to warm their long-strained relationship, including by working together to counter military threats from North Korea.

But Mr. Kishida reiterated on Monday that Tokyo was also open to talks with Pyongyang, which according to official North Korean media appeared to approve a conciliatory approach to ties with Japan, a move from the reclusive country. It is an unusual situation.

North Korea has already tested ballistic missiles in 2012 and again in 2016, which it described as satellite launches that flew over the island department of Okinawa in southern Japan.

The development of a reconnaissance satellite was one of Pyongyang’s major defense projects unveiled by Kim Jong Un last year. The North Korean leader visited the workshop where the satellite was being developed on 16 May, and gave the green light to his “future action plan”.