In a renewed declaration, Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, expressed determination on June 4 to pursue a second endeavor to launch a spy satellite, while simultaneously condemning a U.N. Security Council gathering regarding the failure of North Korea's initial launch.
The North's recent effort to place its first military spy satellite into orbit proved unsuccessful, as the rocket crashed off the western coast of the Korean Peninsula. In response to this violation of council resolutions prohibiting North Korea from engaging in ballistic technology launches, an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council was convened upon the request of the U.S., Japan, and other nations.
During the U.N. council meeting, held in response to what she deemed an American "gangster-like request," Kim Yo Jong, a senior ruling party official, denounced the council as "a political appendage" of the United States. She criticized the council's selective focus on North Korea's satellite launches, while numerous satellites deployed by other countries continue to operate in space. In response to the military threats posed by the United States and its allies, Kim Yo Jong claimed that her nation's pursuit of a spy satellite is a legitimate response.
Kim Yo Jong stated in state media that "North Korea" will continue to exercise all of its legal rights, including the right to launch a military reconnaissance satellite.
Although Kim Yo Jong did not specify the timing of the second launch attempt, she previously affirmed that the North's spy satellite "will be correctly put on space orbit in the near future."
South Korea's intelligence agency informed lawmakers that it may take "more than several weeks" for North Korea to identify the cause of the failed launch, but a second attempt could be made in the near future if the defects are not severe.
The acquisition of a military surveillance satellite is part of Kim Jong Un's commitment to obtaining sophisticated weapons systems amid prolonged security tensions with the United States. Since the beginning of 2022, Kim has conducted over 100 missile tests, which he claims serve as a warning against expanded military drills between the U.S. and South Korea.
Experts suggest that Kim aims to leverage his modernized weapons arsenal to secure concessions from Washington and its diplomatic partners in future negotiations.
Previous nuclear tests, missile trials, and satellite launches have led to multiple rounds of U.N. sanctions against North Korea. However, efforts by the United States and others to toughen these sanctions in response to North Korea's recent testing activities have been thwarted by China and Russia, both of which are permanent members of the U.N. Council. The latest U.N. council session witnessed renewed clashes between China, Russia, and the U.S. regarding the North's failed launch.
In 2012 and 2016, North Korea successfully placed Earth-observation satellites into orbit. However, foreign experts assert that there is no evidence to suggest that either satellite transmitted imagery or other data.
Furthermore, North Korea issued a threat on Sunday, stating that it would not notify the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in advance of future satellite launches. This act of protest comes in response to the IMO's condemnation of North Korean missile tests, citing a lack of proper notification, which seriously jeopardized the safety of seafarers and international shipping.
Kim Myong Chol, an international affairs analyst in North Korea, emphasized that the IMO should independently assess and take responsibility for the impact of North Korea's satellite launches on the designated period and carrier's impact point.
North Korea had informed the IMO and Japan that the recent spy satellite launch would take place between May 31 and June 11.
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