▲ This photo, captured from North Korea's Central TV on Nov. 23, 2023, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (L) reacting at the Pyongyang General Control Center of the National Aerospace Technology Administration in Pyongyang on Nov. 21, right after the North succeeded in placing the military reconnaissance satellite Malligyong-1 into orbit. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

N Korea-satellite launch

N. Korea vows to exercise 'sovereign rights' including satellite launch

SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Monday it will continue to exercise what it called its sovereign rights as it dismissed international condemnation over its latest satellite launch.

North Korea has claimed it successfully put the reconnaissance satellite into orbit and vowed to launch several more satellites within a short span of time.

"No matter what critical statements and harshest-ever sanctions the U.S. and its vassal forces may issue or impose, they can neither check the DPRK's exercise of its sovereign rights nor get what they want," Kim Son-gyong, vice minister for International Organizations at North Korea's foreign ministry, said in an English-language statement carried by the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). DPRK refers to North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Kim defended the satellite launch as a "legitimate" exercise of North Korea's right to self-defense.

The statement came hours before the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is set to hold a meeting in New York to discuss North Korea's satellite launch. North Korea is banned from any use of ballistic missile technology under U.N.Security Council resolutions.

North Korea "will squarely, unhesitatingly and perfectly exercise its sovereign rights including satellite launch," Kim said.

"If the U.S. and its vassal forces again seek to violate the sovereignty of the DPRK under the pretext of the utterly unlawful 'resolution' of the UNSC, they will be held wholly accountable for any consequences to be entailed by it."

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