Following Notification to the International Maritime Organization on the 29th, Direct Launch Announced
"Tracking and Monitoring US Military Actions... An Indispensable Necessity"
Ri Pyong-chol, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea and regarded as a key figure within the North Korean military, announced plans to soon launch the first military reconnaissance satellite.
In a statement released on the 30th via the Korean Central News Agency, Vice Chairman Ri said, "Our military reconnaissance satellite No. 1, which will be launched soon in June, along with various reconnaissance means to be newly tested, (omitted) are indispensable for real-time tracking, monitoring, and identification of the dangerous military actions of the United States and its follower forces, as well as for preemptive deterrence and preparedness, thereby strengthening the military readiness of the Republic's armed forces."
North Korea had notified Japan, the regional navigation area coordinator of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), on the previous day about plans to launch a satellite between 0:00 on the 31st and 0:00 on the 11th of the following month, but this is the first time it has directly specified the launch timing.
Image of a reconnaissance satellite captured on the screen of the North Korean National Space Development Agency's control room
Vice Chairman Ri asserted, "The operational range and surveillance coverage of the U.S. military's aerial reconnaissance assets deployed and operating in the Korean Peninsula region encompass not only the northwestern area of the Republic, including the capital Pyongyang, but also the deep inland areas and metropolitan regions of neighboring countries," adding, "This constitutes a serious threat to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and surrounding countries." He continued, "The alarming security environment in the region, created by the reckless military provocations of the United States and its follower forces, demands that we secure reliable reconnaissance intelligence means capable of real-time grasp of the enemy's military action intentions as an utmost urgent task."
Vice Chairman Ri emphasized, "We will comprehensively review the current and prospective threats we face and put into action more thorough and practical activities to strengthen war deterrence," and stated, "We will responsibly carry out our grave mission to reliably safeguard the sovereignty and security of the nation."
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