North Korean leader Kim Jong Un congratulated his scientists on the successful launch of a spy satellite, calling it a “new era of space power.”
He described the mission as a “full-fledged self-defense exercise.”
On Tuesday, North Korea launched a rocket thought to carry the spy satellite.
It claimed success, but South Korea warned it was too early to know whether the satellite was operational after two earlier launches failed.
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According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Mr. Kim attended a reception for space scientists and technicians on Thursday with his wife Ri Sol Ju and daughter Kim Ju Ae.
According to KCNA, Kim stated that the launch “had propelled the country into a new era of space power.”
Furthermore, Mr. Kim stated that “possession of a reconnaissance satellite is a full-fledged exercise of the right to self-defense.”
North Korea’s premier, Kim Tok Hun, stated that the satellite will allow their military to strike anywhere in the world.
The development of a functional spy satellite is a key component of North Korea’s five-year military strategy, and the technology could theoretically allow Pyongyang to track the movement of US and South Korean troops and weaponry on the Korean Peninsula, allowing it to detect oncoming threats.
North Korean state media claimed a few hours after the launch on Tuesday that they were already studying photographs of US military locations in Guam.
The launch has been fiercely condemned by the United Nations as well as other governments, notably the United States.
The United Nations, as well as other countries such as the United States and Japan, have harshly denounced the launch.
It has also triggered a spat with South Korea, which believes the North received assistance from Russia.
The latest launch came after Mr. Kim’s unusual visit to Russia in September, during which President Vladimir Putin promised Pyongyang assistance in building satellites.
Pyongyang’s launch of the “Malligyong-1” satellite was its third attempt, following two failed efforts in May and August.
South Korea acknowledged the launch was successful, but said it was too early to tell if the satellite worked as the North claimed.
Following Pyongyang’s satellite launch on Tuesday, South Korea canceled a five-year-old military agreement with the North.
Pyongyang threatened to cancel the accord entirely, saying it “will never be bound” by it again.
