DPRK to launch more reconnaissance satellites to space

PYONGYANG, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), said his country will launch multiple military reconnaissance satellites to space, the official Korean Central News Agency reported Thursday.

Kim made the remarks during a recent inspection of the National Aerospace Development Administration (NADA). The top leader expressed great satisfaction over the major test results by NADA, which conducted two reconnaissance satellite development tests on Feb. 27 and March 5.

Deeming the development of reconnaissance satellites a work for the protection of the sovereignty and national interests and the exercise of the legitimate rights to self-defence, Kim said the urgent project for perfecting the country's war preparedness capacity by improving the state's war deterrent "is the supreme revolutionary task, a political and military priority task to which our Party and government attach the most importance."

The purpose of developing and operating military reconnaissance satellites is to provide the DPRK armed forces with real-time information on military actions against it, according to Kim.

"The Party Central Committee fully supports the decision of the National Aerospace Development Administration on diversely putting a lot of military reconnaissance satellites into sun-synchronous polar orbit in the period of the five-year plan (2021-2025) so as to possess the strong capability for gathering intelligence by satellites," he added.