N. Korea says it successfully placed spy satellite into orbit, plans to launch more

N Korea-spy satellite

N. Korea says it successfully placed spy satellite into orbit, plans to launch more

SEOUL, Nov. 22 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Wednesday it has successfully placed a spy satellite into orbit and will launch several more satellites in a short period of time to step up its surveillance capability on South Korea.

The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said that the North fired off Malligyong-1 reconnaissance satellite the Malligyong-1 on Chollima-1 rocket from a launch site in Tongchang-ri on its west coast at 10:42 p.m. Tuesday.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un observed the launch at the site and congratulated officials, scientists and technicians associated with the launch preparations, according to KCNA.

"The new space launch vehicle Chollima-1 followed the planned flight orbit and accurately placed Malligyong-1 satellite into orbit in 705 seconds at 10:54 p.m.," KCNA said in a Korean-language report.

North Korea defended the satellite launch as its "legitimate" right to strengthen "self defense" and vowed to launch several additional spy satellites "in a short period of time."

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