SEOUL, Nov. 24 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has lauded the country's successful launch of a military spy satellite as an eye-opening event of deploying a "space guard" monitoring enemies' military activities, state media reported Friday.
Kim made the remark during his visit to the National Aerospace Technology Administration (NATA) on Thursday, as he encouraged engineers and scientists who contributed to Tuesday's launch of the Malligyong-1, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
"He highly appreciated that the eye-opening event of deploying the reconnaissance satellite constantly grasping the military intention and moves of the hostile forces with our space guard and powerful sighting telescope is the precious victory," the KCNA said in an English-language dispatch.
This photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Nov. 24, 2023, shows the North's leader Kim Jong-un (C) and his daughter (2nd from L, front row), believed to be named Ju-ae, posing for a photo with scientists and engineers who contributed to the country's latest launch of a military spy satellite, as he visited the National Aerospace Technology Administration the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Stressing that the possession of a spy satellite is a "full-fledged" exercise of the right to self-defense, Kim called for efforts to achieve the "immediate and long-term goal" of developing the aerospace reconnaissance capacity, it added.
Kim visited the facility with his daughter, believed to be named Ju-ae, and held a photo session with those involved in the satellite program. They were greeted by NATA General Director Ryu Sang-hun, an official presumed to spearhead a program to develop a spy satellite.
North Korea launched the Malligyong-1 on a new type of the Chollima-1 rocket Tuesday night after two failed attempts in May and August, respectively. The country vowed to launch several more satellites within a short span of time to better reconnoiter South Korea and "the region of its operational interest."
The National Intelligence Service, South Korea's spy agency, told lawmakers Thursday that Russia's technical assistance likely helped the North successfully put the satellite into orbit.
Meanwhile, the North's leader attended a banquet Thursday with his wife, Ri Sol-ju, and their daughter, to celebrate the satellite launch, according to a separate report by the KCNA.
The event brought together senior officials at NATA, rocket scientists and engineers, as well as key military and government officials, including Jang Chang-ha, chief of the General Missile Bureau, it added.
Most of the participants, including Ri and her daughter, wore group T-shirts with short sleeves that have the logo of "DPRK NATA" on their chests, according to photos carried by state media.
South Korea's unification ministry said it is "deplorable" that North Korea has defended the launch of the spy satellite as an exercise of the right to self-defense.
"It is deplorable that North Korea has celebrated an act that directly threatened peace on the Korean Peninsula and in the world, while clearly violating United Nations Security Council resolutions," Kim In-ae, deputy spokesperson at the ministry, told a press briefing.
South Korea and the United States condemned the latest rocket launch as a violation of multiple UNSC resolutions that ban the North's use of ballistic missile technology.
The North said the satellite took pictures of a U.S. air base in Guam on Wednesday and transmitted them to Pyongyang, but it has yet to release related photos. North Korea said the Malligyong-1 will officially begin its mission next Friday.
Seoul said it is closely tracking whether the satellite is normally functioning though it appears to have entered the orbit.
This photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Nov. 24, 2023, shows the North holding a banquet in Pyongyang the previous day to celebrate the country's latest successful launch of a military spy satellite. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
This photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Nov. 24, 2023, shows the North's leader Kim Jong-un (R) and his daughter, believed to be named Ju-ae, attending a banquet the previous day to celebrate the country's successful launch of a military spy satellite. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution)