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By Aadil Brar
China News Reporter
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this week heralded a "new era of space power" while celebrating the successful launch of his new spy satellite, the country's state media said on Friday.
At a banquet held to commend the accomplishment of putting Pyongyang's first reconnaissance asset in orbit, Kim said the milestone was the culmination of North Korea's space endeavors. Two previous launch attempts this year both failed.
The United States and its allies criticized the launch for its deployment of dual-use technology also seen in North Korea's ballistic missile program—prohibited by the United Nations.
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The Malligyong-1 satellite, launched at 10:42 p.m. on Tuesday, was watched by North Korea's supreme leader as it took flight in a launch vehicle, according to images carried by state news outlet the Korean Central News Agency.
The KCNA pictures showed a proud Kim praising scientists and other workers from the National Aerospace Technology Administration. His daughter, who has only recently become prominent in public images, was also there.
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Kim described the satellite as a "space guard," which Pyongyang would use to closely monitor South Korean and U.S. troops.
"He highly appreciated that the eye-opening event of deploying the reconnaissance satellite constantly grasping the military intention and moves of the hostile forces with our space guard and the powerful sighting telescope is the precious victory," KCNA said.
Seoul's top spy agency, the National Intelligence Agency, said in an assessment this week that the North's satellite technology and know-how may have been acquired from Russia. Kim last met President Vladimir Putin in September, in which the latter pledged more assistance to Pyongyang's spaceflight industry.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said the North's satellite launch was to "bolster its intercontinental ballistic missile capacity."
"Regardless of its success, North Korea's launch of a military spy satellite represents its intention to increase its surveillance of South Korea," Yoon said in London during a state visit.
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Kim reportedly repeated his government's earlier position that the satellite launch was defensive in nature, necessary for safeguarding North Korean interests. He also called for the deployment of more space-based assets.
"He said that the possession of reconnaissance satellites is a full-fledged exercise of the right to self-defense the [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] armed forces can neither concede even a bit nor stop even a moment," the news agency said.
South Korea's response to the spy satellite was to partially suspend a 2018 inter-Korea agreement to wind down troop numbers along their shared border. The South said it would resume patrols by the demarcation line, while the North vowed to redeploy its forces to the area as well.
"These measures are meant to counter the threat of North Korea's nuclear weapons and missiles," Yoon said from Britain.
The Group of Seven major economies said the satellite launch posed a "grave threat to the peace and stability of the region and beyond," according to a joint statement.
"Any launch using ballistic missile technology, even if it is characterized as a military reconnaissance satellite, constitutes a clear, flagrant violation of relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions," the G7 said.
The White House said U.S. President Joe Biden and his advisers were closely monitoring the situation with regional allies and partners. Earlier, National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson had strongly condemned the North Korean satellite launch.
China, Pyongyang's only defense treaty ally, called for restraint on the Korean Peninsula in favor of a political settlement of long-standing differences.
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