Pyongyang says it successfully launched satellite, Seoul suspends deal

“Any launch by North Korea that uses ballistic missile technology is contrary to Security Council resolutions” of the United Nations, reacted the UN.

On Wednesday, November 22, South Korea partially suspended a military agreement with North Korea, which claimed to have put a spy satellite into orbit in violation of UN resolutions. A rocket that took off Tuesday evening followed the planned trajectory “and managed to put the Malligyong-1 satellite into orbit”declared the official North Korean agency KCNA.

>> Spy satellites and telecommunications network: how North Korea wants to become “a space power”

North Korea plans to launch more satellites “in a short period of time” to strengthen its surveillance capabilities of South Korea, KCNA added. “Launching a reconnaissance satellite is a legitimate right of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to strengthen its self-defense capabilities”underlined the agency while the country considers itself threatened by South Korea and the United States.

Seoul confirms launch into orbit

After several hours of analysis, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff declared that Pyongyang’s spy satellite was “assessed as having entered orbit based on comprehensive analysis of flight path information and various circumstances”. He added that he “It will take time to determine if the satellite actually works”. Pyongyang’s rapid development of “its missile-related technologies and operational capabilities” should neither be “tolerated” neither “neglected”declared the spokesperson for the Japanese government.

“Any launch by North Korea that uses ballistic missile technology is contrary to Security Council resolutions” of the United Nations, underlined a spokesperson for UN chief Antonio Guterres. This shot is “a blatant violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions, increases tensions and risks destabilizing the region and beyond”reacted the spokesperson for the National Security Council of the White House.

For its part, China called for action. “All parties concerned should remain calm, exercise restraint…and do more things conducive to appeasement tensions”reacted a spokesperson for Chinese diplomacy.