North Korea's Korean Central News Agency reported on the 30th that a senior official of the Workers' Party of Korea announced plans to launch "military reconnaissance satellite No. 1". "It will be launched soon in June," he said. He clarified the purpose of the satellite's operation to monitor U.S. military actions immediately.
The reconnaissance satellites will be used to "track, monitor, and identify dangerous military actions by the United States and its followers in real-time," he said. He argued that it was essential for advancing deterrence and strengthening the readiness of the North Korean military.
"We feel the need to expand our reconnaissance tools and update our various defensive and offensive weapons," he said, emphasizing that he is creating a schedule for that purpose.
He criticized the firepower exercises that the United States and South Korea started on the 25th and the multilateral maritime exercises that will be held with Japan, Australia, and other countries at the end of May. He also touched on plans for US strategic nuclear submarines to visit South Korea. He also said that the U.S. military has been sending reconnaissance planes into the skies over the Yellow Sea on a daily basis, "posing a serious threat."
According to the Voice of America (VOA), a US government-affiliated media, a satellite photo taken on the 29th show's equipment moving near two launch pads at the West Sea Satellite Launch Site in Dongchang-ri, northwestern North Korea. was confirmed.
The facility is believed to have the role of placing the rocket upright and attaching it to the launch pad. It is unclear whether the work to actually attach the rocket to the launch pad has been carried out.
North Korea informed Japan on the 29th that it would launch a satellite between the 31st and June 11th. The Japanese government has called for self-restraint, saying launches using ballistic missile technology violate UN Security Council resolutions. Based on the destruction order, the Self-Defense Forces will intercept if it is confirmed to fall into Japanese territory.
South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs also announced on the 29th that the satellite launch violated UN Security Council resolutions, saying, "It is an illegal act that cannot be justified under any pretext."
In 2012 and 2016, North Korea launched missiles purporting to be artificial satellites and placed payloads in orbit around the Earth. At the time, Japan and South Korea argued that the function of the satellite was insufficient, and emphasized the analysis that the purpose was to improve missile technology. In contrast, the latest launch appears to be aimed at acquiring satellite technology itself.
Reconnaissance satellites are used to ascertain the locations and readiness of other countries weapons. It seems that the aim is to ensure the ability to instantly recognize the location information of US aircraft carriers and other aircraft and strike them with missiles.
In April, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered the launch of a military spy satellite "within the planned deadline." On May 16, I inspected the site of the assembly plant.
