Immediately after North Korea announced the successful launch of a spy satellite, the US, South Korea and Japan had their first reactions.
 |
| Japanese television reports on North Korea's spy satellite launch, November 21. (Source: AP) |
On November 22, the Korean Central News Agency ( KCNA ) reported that the Korean National Aerospace Technology Administration (NATA) successfully launched a new rocket named "Chollima-1" carrying the "Malligyong-1" spy satellite from the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground in Cholsan County, North Phyongan Province, at 10:42 p.m. on November 21 (8:42 p.m. the same day, Hanoi time).
According to KCNA , the Chollima-1 carrier rocket moved normally along the predetermined flight path and accurately put the Malligyong-1 reconnaissance satellite into orbit at 22:54, 705 seconds after launch.
The news agency affirmed that the satellite launch was Pyongyang's "legitimate right" "to strengthen its self-defense capabilities" and that the success would "significantly contribute to the process of raising the combat readiness" of the North Korean army "in line with the security environment created inside and around the country."
Also according to KCNA , leader Kim Jong Un supervised the launch at the site and congratulated all the staff, scientists, technicians of NATA and relevant agencies.
At the 9th Plenary Session of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, NATA will present a plan to continue ensuring the reconnaissance capability of the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and areas of operational interest of the Korean military through the program of "launching a number of additional reconnaissance satellites in a short period of time."
Responding to North Korea's spy satellite launch, the White House on November 21 issued a statement condemning it, calling it a violation of United Nations sanctions and a risk of destabilizing the region.
On the same day, South Korea announced that it would resume reconnaissance and surveillance activities around the inter-Korean border, as Seoul suspended some provisions of the “Comprehensive Military Agreement” (CMA) in response to Pyongyang’s latest spy satellite launch.
The National Security Council (NSC) of the South Korean presidential office issued a statement stating: "The government will implement measures to suspend the validity of Clause 1, Article 3 of the 'September 19 Military Agreement' and resume reconnaissance and surveillance activities against North Korea in the area around the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), which has been carried out in the past," referring to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas.
The NSC argued that it was taking a legitimate step to protect South Korea's security amid North Korea's repeated violations of the CMA signed on September 19, 2018, posing nuclear and missile threats, along with various provocations.
Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio on November 21 condemned Pyongyang's missile launch.
Speaking to reporters at his office, Mr. Kishida stated: "We have expressed our opposition to North Korea and we have condemned that action."
Source
Comment (0)