▲ This photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Dec. 31, 2023, shows the North's leader Kim Jong-un attending the plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Koea the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
▲ This photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Dec. 31, 2023, shows the North holding the plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea on the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

(LEAD) NK leader-key party meeting

(LEAD) N. Korea to launch 3 more military spy satellites next year: state media

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details throughout; CHANGES photos)

By Kim Soo-yeon and Lee Minji

SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- North Korea aims to launch three additional spy satellites next year, state media reported Sunday, after the successful launch of the country's first military reconnaissance satellite last month.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un set forth the goal as he wrapped up five days of the plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

"Based on the experience of successfully launching and operating the first spy satellite in 2023 in the space development sector, the task of launching three more spy satellites in 2024 was unveiled and all-out measures to spur the development of the space science technology were discussed," the KCNA said.

The North successfully put a military spy satellite, named the Malligyong-1, into orbit on Nov. 21 after two failed attempts in May and August. There are suspicions that North Korea might have received technical support from Russia in return for its arms supplies for use in Moscow's war in Ukraine.

"We need to swiftly respond to a possible nuclear crisis and mobilize all physical means, including nuclear force, in a bid to accelerate preparations for the great event of putting the entire territory of South Korea under our control," Kim said.

He also stressed the need to strengthen the Navy's military capabilities and develop powerful unmanned armed equipment and means for electronic warfare in a bid to better implement its key defense projects.

Kim also said he will no longer consider South Korea a counterpart for reconciliation and unification, saying Seoul has declared the North as a main enemy. The Workers' Party has also concluded that unification with South Korea is not possible, Kim was quoted as saying.

Calling for a "fundamental change" in dealing with South Korea, the North's leader said that inter-Korean relations have become those of "two hostile countries" or "countries engaged in state of combat."

At last year's party plenary meeting, Kim called South Korea an "undoubted enemy" and called for an "exponential" increase in the country's nuclear arsenal and the development of tactical nuclear weapons.

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[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]